“What must we do?”
Verses six to nine of chapter three of St Luke’s Gospel (which come after last Sunday’s Gospel passage and which precedes this Sunday’s) tell of John the Baptist’s challenge to those who came for baptism. He tested their motives and the sincerity of their desire for true repentance by naming their hypocrisy and calling them a “brood of vipers”.

Their question to him is the direct result of his challenge: “If you are repentant, produce the appropriate fruits.” (Luke 3:8)

So, what must we do? John lays out the “appropriate fruits” which are the demands of the Kingdom of God: share your bread with the hungry, share your clothes with the naked. No cheating! No extortion! No intimidation!

John does not ask them to imitate his own lifestyle of prayer and fasting. In fact, he uses language very similar to the prophet Isaiah – which we hear on Friday after Ash Wednesday – and similar to Jesus, in the final Sundays of the year.

The real “prayer and fasting” is to “break unjust fetters, to let the oppressed go free, to share bread with the hungry and to clothe those who are naked” (Isaiah 58:6-7). True repentance has to reveal itself in concrete action.

Today, we are the crowds who listen to the preaching of John the Baptist. We too ask: “What must we do?” And the answer is the same: share your food and clothing with those in need; do not rob others by collecting more than your due; do not abuse your power by intimidation and violence.

But understand clearly that it is only the burning love of God’s Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ, coming into your life that will free you from sin and fill you with a love generous enough to accomplish all this. It is only God’s love that can pierce our hearts, in the first place, then change our lives.

Let us pray:
Lord, we thank you for all those whom you send to unmask the hypocrisy of our lives, especially the powerless and the young. Help us to produce the appropriate fruits of transparency, saying “yes” when we mean yes, and “no”, when we mean no.
Lord, we ask pardon for not listening to the “still, small voice” of your Spirit, prompting us to let go of all that is not of you, and embrace the reign of God in our lives, in our country and in our world. Help us to actively put an end to sectarianism, to religious violence and any behaviour that would disrespect others while invoking your name.
Spirit of God, Fire of God, cleanse us and heal us, so that we may learn to act with integrity, with wisdom, with generosity and with love. May your power fall on us!

Gospel Meditations for December are by Bro Paschal Jordan of the Benedictine Monastery, Mora Camp, Lower Mazaruni, Guyana