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.
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My Reflections
My Reflections
A boy was
taught by his father that there was only one way to be happy and it was none
other than to accumulate wealth. He imbibed his father’s teachings so he
studied very hard and he eventually became one of the very rich in their town.
On his quest to acquire worldly treasures he stepped on the toes of many
people, he created many enemies on his way up and upon reaching the pinnacle of
his ambition he became greedy and he subsequently discovered that it was very
lonely at the top.
He was on
his quest once again to find the magic formula to happiness so he went to a
wise old man in the mountain to seek his advice. The wise old man gave him only
one advice: Learn to share whatever you have for it is in sharing that you will
find happiness. He followed the wise advice and he felt happiness as he had
never felt it before.
In our
gospel the crowds asked John the Baptist, "What should we do?" (This
was in response to John’s call for them to repent) John said to them in reply,
"Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And
whoever has food should do likewise." Perhaps the crowds were becoming
self-centered already. They only cared for their own needs and never on the
needs of their fellowmen.
The
season of Christmas is not about what we will receive. It is about what we can
freely share. The real essence of Christmas is in sharing not in receiving. Let
us try to wholeheartedly share and we will feel the highest degree of happiness
that we would not be able to feel when we accept gifts.
On this
third Sunday of advent John the Baptist message is loud and clear it is about
learning to share no matter how little so long as it comes from the bottom of
our hearts. Let us share to the poor, to those who are badly in need, let us
share to those who cannot pay back our generosity. There are many of them in
poor communities and in places affected by disasters and calamities. Like our
brothers and sisters who were badly affected by the devastating typhoon named Bopha or Pablo in Mindanao.
Let us
bring Jesus to them by generously sharing whatever we can give. …