By: Alba Luz Mejia, FSA Associate
SCRIPTURE: Luke 3:10-18
“And the crowds asked John the Baptist
, "What then should we do?"
"I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
REFLECTION:
God has truly come among us in the person of Jesus so that our daily lives are attended by God’s presence embodied with whom we eat our share of life’s banquet, celebrating being alive together, sometimes in joy and often in tears. Heeding Jesus’ command that we love one another, we choose to love the world in the company of those with whom we share it every day. To love one another implies a daily struggle against whatever in our complex, double-and triple minded selves urges us to refrain from participating fully in the life of the world into which we have been born. The contemplative struggles to keep lit the flame of the candle that has been entrusted solely to him or her in order to make the world less dark.
The Son of God became flesh to announce the Good News that the Kingdom of God is within us and that the Holy Spirit has been sent to support our relationships with all beings, God is Love. Thomas Merton: Bridges Advent and Christmas
John the Baptist lived a life of passionate and contemplative life, waiting for the coming of God. His passion for justice and honesty spoke to the hearts of the crowds, John the Baptist gave us practical examples: Sharing clothing and food with the needed; Tax collectors to collect with justice; to Soldiers, not to extort money from anyone with threats or false accusations. John the Baptist is asking us to be honest, not to oppress the poor, to forgive, to give social justice.
We see these values in the lives of Francis and Clare. They lived the contemplative struggle to keep lit the flame of to make the God’s life and love in the world entrusted to them to make the world less dark. May we keep the flame given to us to make the world less dark.
PRAYER:
Jesus, show me what is mine to do so that I may help make the world less dark. Amen.
ACTION:
At this mid-point of Advent, I ask myself today, what must I contemplate to follow The Source of all Being with wholehearted commitment?
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