Wilderness

Luke situates the Gospel on the world stage:

In the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate is governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, Lysanias is tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness (Luke 3).

We simply transpose it:

In the year 2024, Francis is Pope, Trump is President of the USA, Xi Jinping is President of China, Albanese is Prime Minister of Australia, Minns is Premier of NSW.

Civil and secular authority are entirely necessary. If benevolent – exercised for the benefit of others – it is a game changer, enabling wealth creation and its distribution. Most importantly, pursuing fundamental human values for all, not just self-interest groups.

God establishes authority and respects it, and issues the call to conversion no matter who is in power.

Specifically, he always speaks in the wilderness of the human heart:

When we go into the wilderness, three things fall silent: our seeing, our hearing, our speaking. But one thing refuses to remain silent – our heart (St. Antony of Egypt).

Wilderness, here we come.

Amen.