Reflection Second week of Advent Matthew 3:1-12

A Reading form the Holy Gospel according to Matthew,

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.

John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them,
“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’

For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
The Gospel of the Lord

Danger, Danger Will Robenson! When I was a boy I loved reruns of, “Lost in Space.” It was about a family, a pilot, a Doctor, and a Robot. The robot could sense when trouble was coming and would warn the young man, waving his arms, Danger, Danger. The robot was created to do so.

What are we created for? John the Baptist wore camel’s hair and a belt, and ate bugs in the desert. He was created to prepare us for the coming of Jesus. This was God’s plan and was prophesied by Isaiah. God wanted us to know John the Baptist.

John warns us today, that we cannot take salvation for granted. We must be aware that we offend God and most repent.

Have you taken a good look lately? What is your life producing, is it good or bad? The chaff will be burned with unquenchable fire. Chaff is defended as worthless material. If you have no idea what it is you should do be doing pray. Pray that God will reveal to you what is his will. That you will always understand the good from the bad.

Let us produce the good fruit. That we will all be working from the perspective of Love. That our every moment will be filled with work that creates goodness for an eternity in God’s Kingdom.