The Gospel of Matthew 3:1-12
In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Let us Pray: Father, in the wilderness of the Jordan you sent a messenger to prepare people’s hearts for the coming of your Son. Help us to hear his words and repent of our sins, so that we may clearly see the way to walk, the truth to speak, and the life to live for Him, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
Advent is not passive waiting; it is active preparation. On this second Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of peace. In a world filled with conflict, we look to the Prince of Peace to calm our hearts. The second Sunday of Advent is a time to reflect on the peace that comes through Christ. We light the candle of peace to remind us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. May the light of peace guide our hearts as we prepare for the coming of Jesus. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
There was a man that came to prepare others for something significant. During Advent, the church needs to think about how to join God in the movement towards a world that is more like the way of Jesus. There is no better Advent guide than John the Baptist, whose instructions for preparation are condensed into one word: “Repent!” As we continue our Advent Journey we hear about John the Baptist. John the Baptist was a colorful prophetic figure who introduces the story of Jesus in all four Gospels. He was “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord” He was the herald that came to prepare the way for Our Lord Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ time heralds were sent out to cities so they could prepare for a VIP visit. It was the herald’s responsibility to make sure everything was ready when the dignitary arrived. But just being the herald was not John’s only job. He was preparing the way by telling people about Jesus, Preparing them to understand that Jesus was coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit as he could only baptize with water. In Matthew’s Gospel he accuses the “Pharisees and Sadducees” of being “vipers.” This is no different today that those in upper positions of power act like vipers, they spew lies and confess to be Christians. So, John’s cry of repentance is the call to turn away from our indifference to engage, at a life-changing level, the coming kingdom, and the way that kingdom reorders our relationships and priorities. John’s words are words of interrogation. We may be discouraged by the way things are, and without a real sense that the present and future can be different. So, do we care enough to change our lives and the world in which we live? Do we love enough to get angry about the suffering and plight of other human beings, even if we’ve never met them? Let it show! Remember it’s not all about you.
Let us Pray: We have lit this candle of peace, trusting in the peace of Christ. O God, as we light this candle of peace, may we experience the calm and stillness of Your presence. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 