A good Sunday to all.

Last Sunday we listened to the Baptist who preached on the baptism of conversion. Conversion means to change the position of the scale of values that drives our lives upside-down. If we put money, our career, on top of the scale, and a little bit below it, the family, then, we also have faith, the gospel, if we have time for it, naturally, we have this scale of values upside-down. That’s why it is important to search for the meaning of life, the knowledge of Christ. All the other values, that are important, even money, will be put in their proper places.

The temptations we have turn the scale of values upside-down. And to convert it is to become aware of what really matters, or what is the most important. The Baptist continues his preaching by saying: 'Produce fruits worthy of conversion'. that is, before you change the head put things first in their proper order, then the consequences of the change, of this conversion will surface. Today, the Baptist explains what these fruits worth of conversion are. They are fruits (in plural form) that indicate when the conversion is authentic.

And there are three categories of people who turn to the Baptist to find out what they have to do. These three groups of people ask the same question. Let us listen to the first group of those who ask, “What should we do?”:

 

“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.”

 

This also applies to all of us, for example, when we listen to some reflections on the gospel and it bothers us. Before, we were calm with our religious practices, We thought we were okay with God, and then we realized something else… and we ask ourselves: 'If I take seriously what Jesus says, the options of my life are challenged. I used to be comfortable with my quiet way of living, with my prayers, with my devotions, but now the gospel is asking me for something very challenging.'

In fact, Jesus is very demanding. The encounter with Christ and with his Gospel always provokes a disorder in the mind and in the heart, if we are open to the light of the Spirit. And then, the question spontaneously appears: So, what should I do? Do I take seriously what Jesus asks or do I continue with my life... which is not so bad, however, the moral conversion is always something very limited, that is, a change of life only comes after a change of mind and heart. First you must create convictions, then the motivating and convincing options are made.

This question that the crowd puts to the Baptist, appears several times in the New Testament. For example, when after the Passover Peter says to the crowd: "You did not receive the Messiah, you have committed a crime, you have condemned and executed the Messiah of God." And the crowd asks: 'So, what should we do?' Also, Paul, once converted, says: “Lord, what should I do?” This is the question that we must also ask. If we are determined to follow the proposed options of Jesus of Nazareth, we put this question in front of our concrete options: 'What should I do?' If we want Christ to enter our life, as we wait, we reflect to really let him enter our life. Christmas is a sentimental celebration with beautiful emotions, music, lights… everything is good, but allowing Christ to enter our lives is something disturbing. It gives us a little fear. But let us keep in mind that to bring us joy and fulfillment in our life Is the reason for this.

Then, let us try to take seriously the answer that the Baptist gives to the crowd: “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” The first request that the Baptist makes and that we also must do if we really want Jesus to come into our life, is detachment from the goods of this world, that are important but must be left in their place. The instinct that leads us to accumulate, to seize the goods of this world as if we never had enough, to only think of ourselves, and turn it away from those who are in need, this is our instinct. The Baptist asks us to master this instinct and share with those in need and, therefore, if you have two cloaks, give one to someone who does not have.

This is the first fruit of conversion. Otherwise, we have not converted. I think that if today, that crowd would have addressed us, Christians, with this same question: 'What should I do to be a good Christian, so that the gospel penetrates my life?' I think many of us could give good suggestions, for example, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not cheat... The Baptist does not recommend avoiding these sins. He speaks of a sin we often forget: the sin of omission. Therefore, according to the Baptist, to convert means to stop committing this sin. The letter from James says: "If you know how to do good and you do not do it, it is a sin." The first Letter of John, in chapter 3 says: 'If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?' This is the sin of omission. If a brother or sister is in need and I look the other way, it is not the right thing. What am I called to do? John says: "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth" (1 Jn 3:18).


The Baptist does not propose an ideal of renunciations, of poverty for a hero to practice and retire to a convent ... but it is the proposal to prepare to enter a new society; a society where it does not accumulate, does not monopolize the goods of this world and one that is attentive to the needs of the brothers and sisters. There is sharing. Keep in mind that the goods of this world are for all the sons and daughters of God. Love of neighbor leads us to keep only what is necessary and nothing else. What the Baptist suggests to the crowd is provocative. The old justice was to give each one his own. One could keep for oneself what has been achieved by one’s capacity, be it much or less… This justice is over. The justice of God has as a prior condition: the fatherhood of God who wants all his sons and daughters to be happy, to have a decent life. This is the consequence of the fatherhood of God: fraternity among all.

Any kind of accumulation, more than what is necessary, is a robbery to the brother or sister who needs it. Therefore, we must pay attention to this call to avoid the sin of omission: Not doing the good that you know you should and can do. This is the first requirement if you want to accept the Messiah of God. Otherwise, we will accept other messiahs that are of our liking. Let’s take heed of the answer the Baptist gives to answer the question the people asked him.

Let us now listen to what the Baptist suggests to the second group:

 

“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’”.

 

Those responsible for collecting taxes were not popular. The publicans were the most unpopular people in Israel, not only because their profession did not stimulate sympathy, but also because of how they practice it. The payment of taxes was done with a contract, with a fixed amount indicated, which was to be presented to the Roman administration, and the rest was the commission of these publicans. It is easy to guess the traps, the subterfuges, the abuses of power. To have an idea it is enough to read what Cicero says against the thefts of Gaius Verres, during his three years as governor of Sicily. We can understand very well what was going on in the time of Jesus.

Also, the publicans were not accepted because they were the collaborators of the oppressive system and, especially, were considered the renegades because when they had to deliver their collections, as stipulated by the authorities, they had to worship, to offer a sacrifice to the emperor-god.
These people present themselves to the Baptist and ask him: "We, who have this profession, what should we do?" I think we would expect the Baptist to force them to change their profession. But no, because it is necessary to pay taxes and someone is required to do so. Taxes are paid, whatever the current political and economic system. What does the Baptist ask of them? Work differently in this profession.

He does not impose them to flee the world and lead an ascetic life as he does in the desert. He tells them that this profession can be done differently. And, in fact, any profession... This is the reflection we can do as we are preparing to receive Christ in our life. We all have a profession that can be carried out in several ways. The same service… be it a teacher, nurse, the doorman of a building… it can be done with a professional competence, very coherent of course, but this is not enough. The smile, the kindness, the affability with the people to whom a service is given do not enter a professional contract, but they are part of the new way of carrying out their own profession.

One thing is to be strict in the observance of the contract and another thing is to do it with attention feeling like a servant of the brothers or sisters.
If we want to receive Christ in our life, this is the new way to do it as a service to the brothers and sisters.

Let us now listen to the Baptist's suggestions to the third group:

 

“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’”.

 

The third group are the soldiers: "And, we, what should we do?" We would expect that the Baptist tell these mercenaries of Herod: 'lay down your arms.' The Baptist has in mind that the situation is not that of a time of war, but of a time of peace. There is no looting, bloodshed and the soldiers must maintain order only, prevent violence and, therefore, the salaries are necessary. What is the danger? To exercise this service from a position of strength to abuse one's power. They have weapons at hand, therefore, they can raise their voices, offend, intimidate, abuse.

The Baptist's recommendation is also valid for all those who are tempted today of abusing their position. It can be a social position or a position in a certain activity... They can abuse their power. The Baptist tells them: "Do not mistreat others..." The Greek verb is 'diaseiso', which means, shake, extract. It can also happen to us that we do not have the sword in hand, but when we have a little power, we can abuse it. This cannot be done in the new world if we truly want that Christ and his gospel enter our life.


The second recommendation: do not resort to intimidation, to denounce falsely. Do not make blackmail. And the third request: "Be satisfied with your wages.” The danger is to abuse the weapons and, therefore, not be satisfied with the salary and look for something extra they can get with the people with whom they are in contact. Notice that the Baptist does not ask any one of these groups for a religious practice. He has asked for the conversion of the mind that immediately calls for a change of life in relation with the brothers and sisters. Prayer helps us to assimilate the Gospel message and translate into practice this light that has been received by accepting and listening to the word of the Master.

These people were also expecting something. Let's listen:

 

“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”.

 

In Advent, we are waiting for the coming of the Lord. We are preparing to let in the gospel, to let Christ into our life. In the times of the Baptist, all the people were in expectation. What did they wait for? That the prophecies pronounced by their ancestors will finally be realized. When will the Lord begin the new world that has been promised? A change in the world as expected; the end of an ancient world and the beginning of a truly human world. Let’s ask ourselves, what do we expect? If we allow the gospel to enter our life, in our society, this new world would be realized. Let's try to ask ourselves: What do we expect this Christmas?

We certainly want peace, love, fraternity ... all this, but how? We look forward to it with the realization of our criteria, of our ways, also imposed on others. In other words, this peace that we want must be reached when we finally get to impose our way of thinking. But true peace can be obtained if we accept Jesus' proposal for a new world. This is the salvation that the person should seek: to be free of the instincts that prevent the realization of a humanity as God wants it.


And John responds to all with three images that we need to understand. The first thing he says is that there are two baptisms, one like his, with water that cleans the exterior of the person, but—he says—there is one coming who brings water that does not clean the external, but it becomes life within the person. As it happens with the plants: there is a water that cleans the outside, but there is a water that becomes lymph, that transforms into life which then bears fruit. This is the comparison used by the Baptist: The Messiah will bring water that will be transformed into life, into the lymph of life.


This 'water' that Jesus brought to the world is the life of God, it is the Spirit, it is the life of love, it is the life of the Father in heaven that must be shared with all his sons and daughters. When this life finally comes, it will create a new society and a new world. This is the first image used by the Baptist. The second is fire. This ‘fire’ has been misunderstood as fire that destroys sinners ... that makes them suffer with punishments ... Enough of all this! The only fire is the Spirit, the fire that descended on Pentecost and whose mission is to burn all the evil that exists in the world, all the tares, so we can grow and become a new humanity. And Jesus speaks in the gospel of this fire that he came to bring to the world: "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Lk 12:49).

We need to understand it well. When we think even in our life: how many temptations, how many instincts that lead us to behaviors that dehumanize us. Well, Jesus came to bring this new fire to the world to burn this iniquity that is within us and that allows the divine life to be present concretely in our life.

The third image is that of the winnowing fork. We know what the winnowing fork is used for. After picking the grain, they expect for a good wind to separate the grain from the straw by stirring the grain and the straw in the wind, and the straw thrown out leaving only the good grain. What is the misunderstanding in the interpretation of this comparison? It was thought that the straw were the evil children of God, who were thrown out, burned, and sent to hell. This is a blasphemous interpretation.

It is a wonderful news: with the coming of Christ and, for us, with the arrival of the Gospel, this Gospel acts like a wind that throws out all the straw and leaves the good grain. We are preparing to receive this gospel because what we do at Christmas is not to celebrate a birthday, but to finally welcome Christ in our life. And when Christ comes with his word, with his gospel, he acts like the pitchfork, like that wind that casts out all iniquity. If we really let in the gospel in our life, everything that makes us unhappy, that dehumanizes us, will be eliminated. The wars will end because hatred, aggression will be eliminated by this fire that Jesus brought to the world.

The concluding phrase with which the evangelist comments the message of the Baptist is very beautiful and very important and belies any other terrifying interpretation of the text we have heard: that of fire, that of straw that is thrown out. Luke says that the Baptist "with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.” What the Baptist has pronounced were not threats, they were words of consolation and hope; They were a gospel, good news. Let the gospel and Christ enter our lives: this is the great news. I wish everyone a good Sunday and a good week.