TEXT: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 3:1-12

1  In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching
in the desert of Judea
2 (and) saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand!"

When John the Baptizer preached, people knew it and understood the implications, because he did not leave much for the imagination.  John the Baptizer was no mild mannered preacher, when it came to the task he had from the Lord for preparing the way of Yahweh.

St. John the Baptist called a "spade a spade" and people knew exactly where they stood with God, and with St. John the Baptist, once he had stated his case.  Yet, he offered people repentance, because that is what God offered through St. John the Baptizer.  Some people today would call John the Baptist very unloving.  However, this is not true, for one of our own, Mother Angelica, has been quoted as saying -- "Those who tell the Truth love you. Those who tell you what you want to hear love themselves."

The prophet Isaiah had spoken of the coming of this man who would precede Messiah Jesus.

3  It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken
when he said:
"A voice of one crying out in the desert,
'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'"

It is not wonderful to know that it is Mary who is with us in the desert today?  John met Mary when Elizabeth was visited by Mary.  And, it was Jesus in the womb of Mary our Mother and Mary with Jesus that caused the babe to leap in the womb of Elizabeth.  (Note: Mary is the Mother of us all, as we are the offspring of her seed, Cf. Revelation 12:1 ff).

John the Baptizer was to also preach in the desert, a voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘prepare the way of the Lord, makes straight his paths.’  John’s message was the one of today -- repent!  Turn 180- degrees from the direction of travel, if you are doing evil, and, turn with the mind of the Lord.  The straight path is to go with God in the path wherein he meets you, beloved.

Where are you at today with God on the path he has for you?

Mary’s path is with Jesus and her seed. (Revelation12).

John’s path was with Jesus in the desert, seeking out the seed of the Israel of God!  (Matthew 3).

And, it was John the Baptist who was dressed for the occasion.

4  John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a
leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild
honey.

He was a man of passion, because he knew his time would be short, if he went up against the powers of his day.

Guess what?

When the Gospel is proclaimed with the same Holy Spirit power as that which came from John the Baptizer, the men and women of this age (the world system) will become "agitated."

Herod Antipas, Herodias and Salome became so "agitated" with John that Salome brought his head to Herodias on a platter.  Such are the destinies of the "preachers of righteousness" who stand in the gap, while others may seek to compromise.

John was suited for travel.  He traveled lightly with the world’s "stuff," but, took along the most important "stuff," the words of the Living God.

And, therefore, John was followed by JESUS, the very Word of God, Immanuel!  Yahweh’s Way had been prepared.

Let us listen to John and be prepared for the Advent of Jesus, our Blessed HOPE!

The people came in droves to hear the message of Hope, beloved.  People do not come to hear a message that beats them into the dust.  People come to find the solution for their sins!  John provides the solution.

It is JESUS.  Salvation is of Yahweh.

5 At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole
region around the Jordan were going out to him
6 and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as
they acknowledged their sins.

The seed of the woman, the offspring of Mary were there being baptized by John in the Jordan, as they acknowledged their sins.  The confessed their sins.  To acknowledge means to (Greek, exomologoumenoi) --  "confessing out" their sins.  They were telling what they were before all and forsaking their sins.  They were saying the "same word" about their sins as God says about their sins.

Do we say about our sins what God says about them?

Do we go to the sacrament of reconciliation with that in mind, beloved?

But, listen,

7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

"Snakes!"  These were the religious leaders!~ What is going on?  Well, God knew the hearts of these people then as he knows the heart of every person on the planet and in Purgatory, heaven and hell!

The people who came out to see John were all like the first "Serpent."  (Found in another chapter 3, Genesis 3).  That was the Serpent under the feet of the woman who would crust Satan’s head ultimately.  (Romans 16:20; Revelation 12: ff).

The Pharisees and Sadducees were divisive to the flock of God.

Listen to St. Paul in Romans 16: 17-20 -- "I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles, in opposition to the teaching that you learned; avoid them. For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.  For while your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, I want you to be wise as to what is good, and simple as to what is evil; then the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you."

It is our Lady who will be the instrument of that, because, we will all be united with her when this happens.  God has prepared the Mother of the Church for this event.

No more sin, no more death -- no more, no more, no more!

JESUS has finished the matter through his death and resurrection -- his Advent!

Jesus is our Blessed Hope who made the Way available to us in grace.

JESUS is the good Fruit of Mary.

Therefore, we are asked to --

8 Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have
Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God can raise up
children to Abraham from these stones.

Yes indeed, for Peter said to us that we are stones in the building of God.  We are the building of God, the Mystical City of God.  Praise the LORD!  Built on Peter with JESUS the Chief Cornerstone.  I am so blessed to be a Catholic!

But, beware, my brothers and sisters of the Church -- do not merely rely on the fact that you are children of Abraham who was the father of the faithful.  Do not be falsely secure in the illusion that just because we were born into the knowledge of the truth and the faith of our fathers that we are safe!  No, listen --

10 Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut
down and thrown into the fire.

Here is the solution, beloved.  Hear the Solution!  It is repentance and personal faith in JESUS!

11 I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but
the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.   I am not
worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy
Spirit and fire.

This happens always through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, reconciliation, when received with true faith.

With John, we are not worthy to carry his sandals, yet, he will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.

On Pentecost the Church (with Mary present) was baptized with the Holy Spirit.  That same Holy Spirit is given at confirmation to the baptized, beloved.

Yet, how do we use this power that is given?

Are we surrendered to this Holy Spirit as was Mary, the Holy Spirit’s spouse?

And, yes, the "fire" will burn the works and leave the gold, and the silver and the precious stones.

Yes, the "fire of God’s Love" will utterly consume all sin.

Yes, the "fire of God’s wrath" will utterly be executed upon those who hate God and only live for selfish ambition.  We must pray for the souls of all, especially those in greatest need of the Mercy of God.

Oh, My Jesus. . .

For listen to John at last,

12  His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his
threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the
chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

God knows how to sift the wheat.

Do we remember what JESUS said to St. Peter?  Satan wanted to sift them all like wheat, but JESUS prayed for Simon and them.

JESUS, our Blessed Hope prayed for all of us.   (Cf. Gospel of St. John 15-17).

We believe in the communion of saints.  Shall we not ask for prayer from all the saints, living and with Christ?

Shall we be so foolish as to try to make our pilgrimage alone outside of the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Word -- outside of Mass and the sacramental life we have in JESUS?

There is such confusion outside of Christ.

Yet, JESUS calls us, the people of God, into the unity of the faith we have in common.  Let us pray for the Blessed Hope in Jesus Christ to be the Banner of Unity.

Let us live our lives in the holiness that Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth and all the saints lived, that all people might see JESUS in us, that the Bread of Life we eat and the Blood we drink at The Eucharist might be seen in our actions and lives.

May we mirror the Blessed Hope we have in Jesus?



Deus et Sanctissima.