Reading 1
Zep 3:14-18a
Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you
he has turned away your enemies;
the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
he will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
Reading II
Phil 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Gospel
Lk 3:10-18
The crowds asked John the Baptist,
“What should we do?”
He said to them in reply,
“Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
“Teacher, what should we do?”
He answered them,
“Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
Soldiers also asked him,
“And what is it that we should do?”
He told them,
“Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages.”
Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.
Meditation: Luke 3:10-18
What then should we do? (Luke 3:10)
John the Baptist may have lived in a world that was just as muddled as ours, but he was far less muddled than most of the people around him. If he were here today, he would tell us the same thing that he told the people of ancient Judea: We all need to look at how we integrate the gospel into our daily lives.
Today’s Gospel reading gives us a number of examples of John’s teachings. Asked about the right way to live, he avoided lengthy theoretical discourses. Rather, he focused immediately on people’s behavior. “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise” (Luke 3:11). He told tax collectors to stop cheating people. He told soldiers to be honest and just and to stop bullying those weaker than they were. It seems that everything John said and did could be reduced to one command: Treat one another with the same love that God has for you!
Clearly, no one had a hard time trying to figure out where John stood. In fact, it was his blunt, no-nonsense approach to holiness that got him in trouble with King Herod and eventually cost him his life.
When we look at the Sermon on the Mount, we find Jesus also telling us how we should live. He told us that anger, hatred, and resentment are just as serious as murder. He told us that lusting after someone is just as bad as committing adultery. He said that the “least” are those who disobey God’s commands, while the “greatest” are those who keep them (Matthew 5:19).
How are you living? As Christmas approaches, take John’s advice and repent. Make sure to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that you can get rid of your sins and be ready to welcome Jesus with a heart as clean as John’s. Turn to the Lord, and let him answer the question: What then should I do?
“Jesus, reduce me to love! Burn away everything in me that is opposed to this simplest of your commandments.”
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