Archive for month: December, 2021

For John the Baptist, repentance was more than a warm feeling

while weeping at the altar. Rather, it was a change in the way we

live among others and how we treat others. Such repentance brings

hope for those who repent and the world around them. John is

concerned about greed and the accumulation of possessions while

others go without (Luke 3:7-14).

John’s message is especially sharp to those who have more than their

fair share because repentance required that they share their excess,

but for that reason, it gives hope to those who have little. Through

repentance, we make amends and bring about a better way of life,

and not just for ourselves and those like us and those related to us,

but for the whole world. It is difficult to heed John’s warning if we are

comfortable and smug, but if we are willing to respond, there is hope

for us and others, especially those on the “short end of the stick.”