Matthew 3:1-12
1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 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.’” 4 Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 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? 8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9 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. 10 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.
11 “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. 12 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.”
"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
This second Sunday of Advent, the Gospel invites us to join the crowds who were coming to John the Baptist. They were confessing their sins to be ready for the imminent coming of the "more powerful…who will baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire" v.11.
May these few points of reflection and meditation help us prepare ourselves for this event.
"Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" v.3. Every event requires preparation where all of the used elements should lead to the target. What is our aim as we prepare ourselves and our homes for Christmas?
The crowd coming to John the Baptist confesses their sins and repents.
Repentance is not feeling convicted or bad. It is to have the courage to think differently, being determined to act differently. Repentance includes a new commitment. It is refusing to blame others for our problems. It is accepting responsibility for our sins (as we have seen with the two thieves on either side of Jesus on the Cross). Are we prepared to do so in this time of Advent?
"He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" v.11b. The Holy Spirit, through baptism, will radically uproot our original sin once and forever. There is no more need for baptism twice daily as a contemporary sect of John the Baptist, the Essenes, was doing.
Why does John join fire to the Holy Spirit? In his time and cultural context, fire was considered both destructive and rejuvenating. Fire efficiently includes negative and positive results, and both are meant by John the Baptist. As fire destroys dense forests so that the sun's rays can enter that land, so fire destroys our cumulative sins to create a new "straight path.” Fire helps to melt metals and reshape old tools. We need to reshape some, if not many, of our ways that contradict God's Holy Spirit. This Gospel invites us to reconsider our commitment to our baptismal vows. Fire also provides us with warmth that is very much needed in cold weather. Beyond the cold weather outdoors, we need to keep warm relations with others through charity, respect and reciprocity.
The Holy Spirit and fire are to be remembered and spread within our souls and around us. "The kingdom of God is at hand” v.2. Happy are those who thoroughly prepare themselves for the Promise of Christmas!