Thus, here, too, among the chosen people of God, there is the same picture of moral darkness and decay.

Evil was gathering everywhere. In this atmosphere of lawlessness and violence, deception and hypocrisy, unbelief and superstition, debauchery and the pursuit of pleasure, it became difficult to breathe. A world enslaved by Roman politics, humiliated and driven to despair by false religions, vainly questioning philosophy about the mystery of life and virtue, this world stood on the brink of the grave.

Judaism itself, which had betrayed its destiny, was on its last legs. There has never been a more critical moment in human history. It was felt that humanity had reached a dead end and could not get out of there without the help of Someone Great and Strong. And so, among the best people of that time, the expectation of the appearance of the Great Prophet, who would show man new paths and save the world from destruction and decay, became more and more stubborn and intense.

In Judaism, this expectation had existed for a long time and was nourished by the predictions of the prophets, but even outside Judaism, in the best people of pagan society, one senses a trembling sensation and a passionate desire for the coming of the Savior and Redeemer of the world. The whole world was in a tense state, and at this great and solemn moment the Lord Jesus Christ was born and preached His Gospel to people, this Revelation of new ways of rebirth and true life.

This revelation was the message of Heaven that led people out of the blind alley of sin and despair, and which mankind had so passionately and so vainly awaited. That is why it was called the good news, or the Gospel.

But even now, when so many centuries have passed since the appearance of the Gospel, it has not lost its significance and is still good news for us, telling us about a high, pure, holy life; still, like a beacon on a stormy dark night, it shows us the only true path to eternal happiness and to God.

Where is this path? Paganism and almost the entire ancient world sought it in the service of their self-love, in self-gratification, in self-gratification. The personal egoism of paganism, the national egoism of Jewry - these are the cornerstones on which the people of antiquity wanted to build the edifice of their happiness. They have built nothing, and their experience has only proved that the path they have chosen is false and leads not to the palaces of happiness, but to the mire of despair.

The Gospel outlined a new path: self-denial.

Already the first major figure to appear in the Gospel story according to Mark, the figure of John the Baptist, is enveloped in this new spirit.

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ... But John wore a robe of camel's hair, and a leather girdle on his loins, and ate locusts and wild honey (Mk. I.4,6).

With all his appearance, he seemed to be saying to his listeners: "It is not in wealth, not in luxury, not in human glory, not in earthly power that we must seek the way to God and to happiness. All this is a lie, a deception, a ghost! The desert is better than the royal palaces, for its eternal silence and monotony do not distract the mind and allow one to immerse oneself entirely in the contemplation of the works of God and God's majesty. Sackcloth is better than fine fabrics and expensive clothes, for it does not soften the body, but, exhausting it, makes it an obedient slave of the spirit. The scanty food of the desert is better than exquisite viands, for it does not awaken in man voluptuousness and lust. A harsh life in the midst of nature is better than the idle, lazy existence of the rich, for it tempers the will for podvig. Renunciation of the world is better than attachment to the world, for a man who is not bound by anything, free in spirit, can serve God with all his being."

And all the country of Judah and the people of Jerusalem went out to him (Mk. I, 5), expecting to find in John the long-desired prophet, the Savior of the world. But this was only His forerunner.

His strongest followed him.

Chapter I, verses 14-13.