Luke’s Gospel message on the Third Sunday of Advent is: “What Must We Do?”
(Zep. 3:14-18/Phil. 4:4-7/Lk. 3:10- 18)
Luke’s Gospel message on the Third Sunday of Advent is: “What Must We Do?”
The people of today’s Gospel seemed to have realized that more than words was required of them. They had heard John the Baptist preach repentance. They had listened to his call for a change of life.
In a spirit of enthusiasm generated by the challenging preaching of John the Baptist, they cried out: “What must we do to prepare for the Lord’s coming?” John the Baptist replied with equal enthusiasm. H
e told them to be generous, to share their goods with others… Living on earth we need to look at ourselves and others because no man is an island!
John urged them to be fair, to be just and to be charitable to others.
But that is nothing new! We have heard it all before, many times. And I am sure that we all want to be generous, fair, just and charitable with others.
We tell God in our prayers that we love Him and we want to do his will. But maybe that is nothing new to God either!
Maybe he has heard it all before a million times…
Perhaps we feel that it would be a wonderful thing if a preacher like John the Baptist were standing in the pulpit today to tell us exactly what we must do to prepare for the coming of Jesus.
Perhaps we wish that the Church could go back to the old way of pointing out to us precisely what to do and what not to do.
The old way was so comfortable and convenient!
For example, no meat on Fridays, especially on Lent, go to confession and god communion at least once a year, come to Church every Sunday Mass, do not go to places of amusements that show lewd entertainment. There seemed to be nice, neat answers for every question of what we could or could not do!
But I think we must do the best from our hearts, not only the formula list of the Church.
You may have something doing better from your heart to welcome Jesus more than we have memorized many years ago.
For example, avoid the drug, help people in their depressions, accept others as Jesus wants us to do and many more things as we are living in our present life.
Indeed, we need to know about what the Church is doing for the needy around the globe, not to be boastful, not to feel we have done enough, but to realize that this charity is a mark of what Christ Jesus wants us to do.
But we need to create some other things from our hearts, our society… For each generation has different things to do for ourselves and for others.
Be sincere to ask Jesus our God and Savior what we should do to welcome Him at this Christmas in our spiritual life.
I’m sure that Jesus will answer the question for us!
God gives each of us conscience. We cannot run away from our conscience. Read the Bible and meditate sincerely. I am sure that Jesus will give us the good answer.
Let us welcome Jesus in our hearts at this Christmas with His peace and joy.
Religious Class on Sunday for Children: 10 a.m.
3rd Sunday of Advent Mass: 11 a.m.
Christmas Eve Mass (Dec. 24) at 6:30 p.m. with Caroling and Christmas Mass at 7 p.m.
Welcome all of you.
St. Michael Church is located at 1004 W. Gentry in Henryetta.
