On the third Sunday of Advent, the liturgy invites us to rejoice. In the first part of today’s Gospel introduces three groups of people who go to the Baptist to have concrete directions for their lives: Common people, the tax collectors, the soldiers…. They all have one question that gets repeated: “What should we do?” indicating their complete willingness to accept the will of God. They come to the awareness that they went off the road, and now is determined to change their life and therefore, seeks direction form the seer.
Let’s imagine that one of us, eager to prepare well for Christmas, asks this same question to those we consider “experts” in the field of religion, perhaps catechists or a religious or the priest. What would they tell us?
Common advises are to help a brother who is in difficulty or to visit a sick person or to recite the rosary every day or do some prayers or to go to confession. Of course, these are good pieces of advice. But the Baptist did not choose this path. Perhaps because the Jewish community was already doing them so scrupulously. Therefore, he demands something very concrete in the way of loving a brother or a sister.
To the ordinary people he says: “If you have two coats, give one to the person who has none; and if you have food, do the same” (vv. 10-11). Prayers and devotions are important provided they are not used as devices to escape the demand for sharing of goods with those in need.
We gladly gather to pray, to sing, but when we are asked to make ourselves available to the brothers and sisters and share with them the goods we possess … all our religious enthusiasm suddenly vanish. The Baptist is not so strict when he says: “If you have two coats give one to the person who has none.” But, Jesus will demand even more from his disciples: “When someone takes your coat, give him your shirt as well” (Luke 6:29).
Tax collectors approach the Baptist, asking the same question. The people hate them because they collected taxes for the Romans and enriched themselves by extorting money from the weak and defenceless. The Baptist does not ask them to change profession, but not to take advantage of their trade to exploit the poor.
Do we act as “tax collectors” sometimes? When we do business or perform some services, if we demand a very high pay for our goods or performance, with an excuse that “These are the set rates,” we behave like the tax collectors. If we behave like a tax collector, we cannot prepare for Christmas simply by reciting a few prayers.
For your reflection:
What should I do? This question is the first step for the conversion that we are called to carry out during this Season of Advent. A very small thing, but “what should I do?”. And may the Virgin Mary, who is our mother, help us to open our heart to the God-who-comes, so that he may shower our whole life with joy.
Father Fernando Torres CMF
www.ciudadredonda.org
Translated by Father Alberto Rossa CMF
