Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12
In the course of time, John the Baptist appeared in the desert of Judea and began to proclaim his message: “Change your ways; the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” It was about him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice is shouting in the desert, ‘Prepare a way for the Lord; make his paths straight!’
John had a leather garment around his waist and wore a cloak of camel’s hair; his food was locusts and wild honey. People came to him from Jerusalem, from all Judea and from the whole Jordan valley, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan, as they confessed their sins.
When he saw several Pharisees and Saddu­cees coming to where he baptized, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who told you that you could escape the punishment that is to come? Let it be seen that you are serious in your con­version; and do not think: We have Abraham for our father. I tell you, that God can raise children for Abraham from these stones! The ax is al­ ready laid to the roots of the trees; any tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire.
I baptize you in water for a change of heart, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I am; indeed, I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He has the winnowing fan in his hand; and he will clear out his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff, he will burn in inextinguishable fire.”

Lectio Divina
READ: “Produce good fruits as evidence of your repen­tance” (Mt.3:1­12)
REFLECT: What is para­mount in our readings for this second Sunday of Advent is the call to repen­tance. However, repentance is just a word. It will have no meaning if it remains to be a word. Thus, repentance must have some tangible things to show. This is the reason why this leads us to think that when we are repentant then we need to do is to put flesh to the conversion and re­pentance that we aspire. This means our good and chari­table works should be seen. Our relationship with one another should also be tan­gible to people. They should see these actions in flesh. Thus, repentance invites us to be good in our rela­tion with others, for in the end it is relations that count for we are relational beings. And Isaiah’s prophesy in the first reading says: “his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.”
PRAY: “Lord give me the heart and mind to put others at the center of my life”
ACT: Make every encounter with people be an occasion for us to bear good fruits as a sign of our conversion.

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