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From: Luke 3:10-18

The Preaching of John the Baptist (Continuation)

[10] And the multitudes asked him (St. John the Baptist), "What then
shall we do?" [11] And he answered them, "He who has two coats, let him
share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do
likewise." [12] Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to
him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" [13] And he said to them, "Collect no
more than is appointed you." [14] Soldiers also asked him, "And we,
what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Rob no one by violence or by
false accusation, and be content with your wages."

[15] As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their
hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, [16] John
answered them all, "I baptize you with water; but He who is mightier
than I is coming, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie;
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. [17] His
winnowing fork is in His hand, to clear the threshing floor, and to
gather the wheat into His granary, but the chaff He will burn with
unquenchable fire."

[18] So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the
people.

Commentary:

12-13. With honesty and courage St. John the Baptist lays bare each
person's fault. The chief sin of tax collectors lay in their using
their privileged position as collaborators of the Roman authorities to
acquire personal wealth at the expense of the Jewish people: Rome
specified how much Israel as a whole should yield by way of taxes; the
tax collectors abused their position by extorting more than was
necessary. Take the case of Zacchaeus, for example, who, after his
conversion, admits that he acquired wealth unjustly and, under the
influence of grace, promises our Lord to make generous restitution (cf.
Luke 19:1-10).

The Baptist's preaching contains a norm of natural justice which the
Church also preaches. Public position should be regarded, above all,
as an opportunity to serve society, not to obtain personal gain at the
expense of the common good and of that justice which people holding
such positions are supposed to administer. Certainly, anyone who has
fallen into the temptation of unjustly appropriating what belongs to
another must not only confess his sin in the Sacrament of Penance if he
is to obtain pardon; he must also resolve to give back what is not
his.

14. The Baptist requires of everyone--Pharisees, tax collectors,
soldiers--a deep spiritual renewal in the very exercise of their job;
they have to act justly and honorably. God asks all of us to sanctify
ourselves in our work and in the circumstances in which we find
ourselves: "Any honest and worthwhile work can be converted into a
divine occupation. In God's service there are no second-class jobs;
all of them are important" ([St] J. Escriva, "Conversations", 55).

15-17. Using excessive imagery, John announces Christian Baptism,
proclaiming that he is not the Messiah; He, who is on His way, will
come with the authority of supreme Judge that belongs to God, and with
the dignity of the Messiah, who has no human equal.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

FEAST OF THE DAY

St. John of the Cross was born in Spain in the year 1541 and was
the son of a wealthy silk merchant. Shortly after the birth of John, his
father died and the family was forced into poverty. The whole family
worked to support itself and John was able to receive a basic
education at a school for poor children. At the age of 17, John began
to work at a hospital. While there, he impressed the founder of the
hospital who became his sponsor and allowed John to study at the
Jesuit College. John did well in his studies and was given many
chances to live a comfortable life as a priest, John did not want a life
like this so he decided to pursue the religious life.

John decided to join the Carmelites and entered the Carmel at the
age of 20 and was allowed to continue his studies. John was
ordained to the priesthood in 1597. Shortly after he said his first
Mass, he met Teresa of Avila, a Carmelite nun. Together John and
Teresa began a reform of the Carmelite order seeking to return to a
more strict, primitive observance of the Rule. The reform grew and
eventually became the order of Discalced Carmelites. At first John
and Teresa reformed from within their monasteries, but soon they
met with much resistance and were forced to start a new order. For a
time, John was imprisoned by the Carmelites who were resisting
reform and during this time he wrote much of the poetry which is still
popular today. After some time, John escaped and traveled to
Southern Spain and became more successful at his efforts of
reformation. In 1580, the Discalced Carmelites were given the right
to erect their own Province and became completely free of the
Calced Carmelites in the year 1593.

Due to some disagreements with the General of the order, John was
sent to La Penuela to await the outcome. After a month, he became
seriously ill and within several months he died. John died at the age
of 49 in the year 1591, was canonized in 1726 and declared a doctor
of the Church in 1926. His works include "Ascent of Mount Carmel,"
"The Dark Night," and "The Spiritual Canticle" among others. St.
John is known as the mystical doctor.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Just as we can never separate asceticism from mysticism, so in St.
John of the Cross we find darkness and light, suffering and joy,
sacrifice and love united together so closely that they seem at times
to be identified. -Thomas Merton

TODAY IN HISTORY

867 Pope Adrian II begins his reign
872 Pope John VIII begins his reign

TODAY'S TIDBIT

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent. It marks the turning point of the
season where we refocus from Christ's Second Coming to his
original birth on earth. This change is marked in the rose colored
vestments worn by the priest. This color symbolizes the joy and
expectation during a season of penance.

The Third Sunday of Advent was formerly known as "Gaudete
Sunday" because the opening antiphon of the Mass began with the
Latin word "gaudete." This word is a command for the Faithful to
rejoice and be glad. It recognizes the rising anticipation that is
naturally felt as an important event approaches.

INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray for the safety of all people who will be traveling during
the approaching holiday season.