Scripture:John the Baptist is preaching about repentance:‘And the crowds asked him, ‘So what should we do?’ He replied ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and the same goes for anyone who has plenty of food’. Even tax-collectors came to be baptised, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He answered ‘Collect no more than the amount which is due’. Soldiers also asked him, ‘And what about us, what should we do?’ He said ‘Don’t extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages’.’ (Luke 3.10-14)Reflection:John tells the crowds that repentance is not just about regret for past wrong actions and attitudes, but involves radical changes in life style. Significantly, he does not tell the hated, despised tax collectors or the greedy, bullying soldiers to change their jobs, but to be changed themselves. He teaches them that whatever their daily work, they honour God by doing it honestly and with integrity.Whoever we are, whatever our situation, our work, our character, our abilities, these words are for all of us. God is honoured not only in grand projects and endeavours, but in the practical working out of our faith in the ordinariness and the challenges of every day life.Revd Rosemary
Scripture:..the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Luke 3. 2-6)Reflection:How ready are you for the coming of Christ? In our Gospel reading we are challenged by John the Baptist to ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight’ in other words - prepare your hearts for the coming of our Lord Jesus, get your house in an orderly fashion, clear away all the rubbish, make a new start by owning up to the fact that we have got it wrong and take steps to change our ways by being there for others, caring for the sick, feeding the hungry, providing shelter for the homeless, welcoming the refugee.This Sunday in Advent is a time in which we should all hear the words of John the Baptist and search within ourselves and ask the difficult questions which he posed. Are we prepared to be challenged about ourselves and our ideas and our behaviour. When John the Baptist told people to make straight paths for God, he meant that we should be constructing a different type of society, and that we should be constructing within ourselves hearts which care for others.Lyn Hayes
