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Advent 3: The Prayer Book of John the Baptist

By Jan Richardson

Image: Prayer Book of John the Baptist © Jan Richardson

Reading from the Gospels, Advent 3, Year B: John 1.6-8, 19-28

The Prayer Book of John the Baptist

Is written on
locusts’ wings.

Is stained with
wild honey.

Is buckled by
baptismal waters.

Is mostly
pages of wilderness
where prayers are formed
not from what is present
but from what has been
worn away.

Is inscribed
with an ancient path.

Is waiting.

Is falling open
toward the light.

—Jan Richardson


For the 2014 reflection on this passage, click the image or title below:

Testify to the Light
Advent 3: Testify to the Light

For a previous reflection on this passage, click this image or title:


Where I’m From

For a reflection on this Sunday’s reading from Isaiah, visit:


Raising the Ruins

[To use the image “Prayer Book of John the Baptist,” please visit this page at janrichardsonimages.com. Your use of janrichardsonimages.com helps make the ministry of The Advent Door possible. Thank you!]

This entry was posted on December 8, 2011 at 2:02 pm and is filed under Advent, art, Gospel of John, lectionary, poetry. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “Advent 3: The Prayer Book of John the Baptist”

  1. Esther Le Muire Says:
    December 12, 2012 at 8:28 am | Reply

    it tugs at my heart to stumble upon kindred thoughts and ways..
    sigh–
    thanks for sharing from the fullness within you

    blessings, Esther

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