Scripture: (Zeph 3: 14-18 and Luke 3: 10-18)
As we raised our children, my wife used ‘the Look’ to make them be Good. I used a fiery tirade to make them aware of a fault or transgression, but it ended with a positive note. It went like this: YOU’RE ROTTEN, DISPICABLE, INCORRIGBLE, YOU’RE DOWN RIGHT LOATHSOME, INTOLERABLE AND IMPOSSIBLE.. but I LOVE you anyway! From either, hopefully they got the message of change, but yet they went away joyfully corrected.
Sometimes what we do not hear on a Sunday’s Readings is very important to what we do hear. For instance from the prophet Zephaniah in today’s reading, just before he gave his message of hope and promise that the MESSIAH will come to restore Jerusalem to those who remain faithful, which gave them reason to be JOYFUL, we could of heard this warning for CHANGE, to those present (especially the Jewish leaders) who were weak in the faith. (Zeph 3: 1-2):
“WOE TO …(JERUSALEM), REBELLIOUS AND POLLUTED, …SHE HEARS NO VOICE, ACCEPTS NO CORRECTION; IN THE LORD SHE HAS NOT TRUSTED, TO HER GOD SHE HAS NOT DRAWN NEAR.”
From the Prophet John, before we hear his message of hope and encouragement to those who are willing to change because the coming of the messiah is ‘At Hand’, which gave them cause for JOY, we could of heard this rebuke to the Sadducees and Pharisees and others who were reluctant to repent. (Luke 3: 7-8):
“YOU BROOD OF VIPERS! WHO WARNED YOU TO FLEE THE COMING WRATH? PRODUCE GOOD FRUITS AS EVIDENCE OF YOUR REPENTANCE. …EVERY TREE THAT DOES NOT PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT WILL BE CUT DOWN…”
The PROPHETIC CRY was always to…‘CHANGE or come back to FAITHFULNESS. Zephaniah’s call and John’s magnetism were actually very enticing. The INCLINATION then of many of the people after hearing those prophets was for change. The CLAMOR of the people then as shown in the Gospel was to beg HOW or WHAT CAN WE DO?
One thing for sure Zephaniah and John were prophets who preached on one hand, with words of ‘FIRE’. Zephaniah, to the people of Judah and Jerusalem during the seventh century B.C. which was a period of religious degradation. The pure monotheism of Moses was almost forgotten, Babylonian pagan idols were worshipped even in the holy city of Jerusalem. The prophet had chastised the people, but especially the leaders and the neighboring pagan peoples who had led the people astray.
Yet as I said, TODAY on the other hand, he preaches with words of HOPE and CONSOLATION that a remnant of the Chosen People will be saved and to that remnant God will fulfill his promise—he will FORGIVE Jerusalem and SEND it a LASTING PEACE, for he will come to dwell in it as a “MIGHTY SAVIOR.”
The Baptist’s preaching at the Jordan caused a stir all over Palestine. Many thought he was a prophet. They had had no prophet from God for over 200 years. Others thought he was the long-expected Messiah. The theme of his preaching was “change of heart”. And in a NUTSHELL, that meant, turn to God and to things spiritual. Forget your political ambitions—the Messiah is not here to free you from the Romans and make you a great temporal nation but TO FREE you from your sins and make you sons of God.
What do we each need to hear today? WORDS OF FIRE that change? Ok then. May be sometimes our actions are ROTTEN & DESPICABLE. Maybe we have POLLUTED our faith practices. And sometimes our speech makes us act as VIPERS. Words of FIRE may have a place. Even Jesus reverted to Anger and strong speech to bring a point home. But maybe as scripture lays out for us today….let us soak in the words of change that PROMISE, ENCOURAGE and DIRECT. The fact that either: words of FIRE or PROMISE move our hearts toward God, should give us JOY beyond measure.
When the DESIRE to change comes, then the question that the MULTITUDES asked of John, ‘WHAT SHALL WE DO?’ … must be our question to. That is always the Joyful Question of the HUMBLE. It is never asked by the Arrogant, except in a selfish way. And the answer to the Question is always LOOK AROUND YOU in your daily lives. Catholic Social justice tells us, to be truly happy: Look for the POOR, the HELPLESS, the NEEDY. Look for the YOUNG and the OLD. Give to them ‘SOMETHING’ of what they need: Money, clothes, a helping hand, a moment of your time. Our Catholic Faith also tells us: Look for those who demonstrate a need for God in the EMPTINESS of their spiritual lives. Offer them a prayer, offer them your example and insight. And if they are Catholic, offer them your hand to bring them back to the sacraments and faithfulness to the teachings of the Church.
And remember this, anytime God COMES into a life…that ADVENT BRINGS JOY. This because while we may have done some bad things, God has NOT forgotten us…he has ALWAYS, ALWAYS LOVED us.
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