The Gospel Lesson for the Third Sunday of Advent (Cycle C)
is Luke 3:7-18. It is the narrative that
concerns the appearance of John the Baptist prior to Jesus’ baptism. In the course of the story, John addresses
the crowds by saying, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from
the wrath to come?” He then outlines
righteous behavior for those who have two coats, tax collectors and
soldiers.
His address is peppered with words of judgment: an axe being
laid to the tree, a winnowing fork, a threshing floor. John calls people to repentance. He reminds them that their Abrahamic heritage
will count for nothing at the end of the day.
It is a sobering, even alarming lesson.
And then, the concluding verse (3:18) says, So, with many other exhortations, he
proclaimed the good news to the people.
It is difficult not to comment on the irony here. John has said, “Gloom! Gloom!
More gloom!” Then Luke tells us
about good news. The whole thing almost
brings a smirk to one’s face.
However, I remember that “Good News,” “Gospel” does not
necessarily mean “happy news.” It is not
“warm fuzzy news.” The gospel to which Luke refers is a life of sacrifice. It is an existence of self-denial. For some, it will result in pain. It will even mean martyrdom for a great many
believers. The persecution and denial –
both official and unofficial—of Christian believers through history has often
been severe.
A lot of us cringe when John makes his way onto our Advent
worship stage. We want to hear of a newborn
babe and adoring shepherds, of sweet straw and a new mother’s lullaby. When John invades our comfortable pageant and
tells us that there is an edge to discipleship, we often would like to look the
other way. But, John’s message in these
moments becomes Jesus’ percolation in a very few verses.
The good news has a cost to those who embrace it.
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