December 13, 2015 Sunday, 3rd Sunday of Advent 1st Reading: Zeph 3:14-18a 2nd Reading: Phil 4:4-7 Gospel: Lk 3:10-18
The people asked John, “What are we to do?” And John answered, “If you have two coats, give one to the person who has none; and if youhave food, do the same.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and asked him, “Master, what must we do?” John said to them,
“Collect no more than your fixed rate.” People serving as soldiers asked John, “What about us? What are we to do?” And he answered, “Don’t take anything by force or threaten the people by denouncing them falsely. Be content with your pay.”
The people were wondering about John’s identity, “Could he be the Messiah?” Then John answered them, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is coming will do much more: he will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire. As for me, I am not worthy to untie his sandal. He comes with a winnowing fan to clear his threshing floor and gather the grain into his barn. But the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”
With these and many other words John announced the Good News to the people.
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE (Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
One’s love for God measures his commitment to do good. Those whom John the Baptist converted did not just line up for baptism but also asked what good they could do. Love always seeks with passion to do more for the beloved. “If we judge of love by its usual effects, it resembles hatred more than friendship” (La Rochefoucauld). Love has the tenacity and determination of hatred. It doesn’t stop until it has expressed itself with impunity.
To the question “What are we to do?” John the Baptist replied in all concreteness. There is always something one can do in proportion to his status in life. Wasn’t it enough that they lined up for baptism? Those who adhere to the ’sola fide’ doctrine would say yes good works are not necessary but faith alone. But James 2:18 already settled this problem with finality in this wise: “Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.” Jesus too settled the matter when he said:
“Not all who call out to me, ’Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 7:21). Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). The reluctance of the adherents to the sola fide doctrine to abandon their “faith alone” principle stems from their misunderstanding that the contrary would undermine the power of God to save.
The fear has no basis. These good works are not meant to save us but to dispose us to receiving God’s salvation. Besides, love always seeks to do more. — Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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