THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

As it is written in the book of Prophet Isaiah, “Someone is shouting in the desert. ‘Get the road ready for the Lord.  Make a straight path for Him to travel.  Every valley must be filled, every hill and mountain leveled off.  The winding roads must be made straight and the rough paths made smooth.  All mankind will see God’s salvation.’  Crowds of people came out to John to be baptized by him.

“You snakes” he said to them, “who told you that you can escape from the punishment God is about to sent?  Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins and do not start saying among yourselves that Abraham is your ancestor.  I tell you that God can take these stones and make descendants for Abraham.  The axe is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire. 

The people asked him, “What are we to do then?”

He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must give one to the man who has none and whoever has food must share it.”

Some tax collectors came to be baptized and they asked him, “Teacher what are we to do?”

“Don’t collect more than is legal” he told them

Some soldiers also asked him, “What about us?  What are we to do?”

He said to them, “Don’t take money from anyone by force or accuse anyone falsely.  Be content with your pay.”

People’s hope began to rise and they began to wonder whether John perhaps might be the Messiah.  So John said to all of them, “I baptize you with water, but someone is coming who is much greater than I am.  I am not good enough even to untie his sandals.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  He has His winnowing shovel with Him to thresh out all the grain and gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out.” 

This is the Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God