Zeph 3:14-18; Phil 4:1-7; Lk 3:10-18
Love for our neighbour turns us into precious grain for the Lord
In today's Gospel John the Baptist tells his listeners that "His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out."
John clearly tells us that there are people who can be compared to precious grain, while others in God's eyes are useless chaff or husk. Who are these grains? They are the ones who share one of their two tunics with their brothers; the ones who share their food with those who don't have anything to eat; the ones who do their duty justly, and are contented with their pay.
The shortest way to reach God is through our brothers, who are around us. The lesson John conveys is that any person can attain salvation if he is concerned about his neighbour's needs. A person may be truly poor, but no one is so poor as to be unable to help his neighbour in some way or other.
Love for one's neighbour is at the core of the message of the prophets, the message of John the Baptist, and the message of Jesus. Love for one's neighbour is the very essence of the Gospel.
The great poet Ulloor wrote:
"There is no wonder if God becomes invisible to those
Who do not have eyes to see their brothers."
The story relating to Poonthanam is very thought provoking.
One day the Lord assured Poonthanam that he would visit him. Poonthanam prepared delicious food and waited for the Lord. Then a boy came to him. He requested Poonthanam to give him at least a little food to taste. But Poonthanam drove him away.
Then came a traveler. Poonthanam turned him away without showing any hospitality.
The third visitor was an old man. Poonthanam refused to treat him too. He waited for the Lord's arrival, but he was disappointed since God did not visit him till the night fall. Then he went to bed. The Lord came to him in his dream. Poonthanam asked him:
"My Lord why did you not keep your word? I waited for you the whole day."
The Lord replied, "I came to you thrice but you refused to welcome me."
Poonthanam learned a great lesson - The invisible God makes himself visible to us through our brothers.
Whenever social justice was at stake, God intervened. He sent his prophets to raise their voice against it.
Saul raised his hand against Gibeonites (2 Sam 21:2) and God punished them with famine that lasted for three years.
King David raised his hands unjustly against his subject Uriah, and took his wife. God's judgement fell on him through the voice of Nathan (2 Sam 12:11).
When injustice spread in the society, and men rose against men, Ezekiel condemned it and prophesied against them.
The message of John reminds us that one who wants to find place in the presence of God should be willing to share his belongings with his brothers.
Often we tend to limit the concept of sharing with the material possessions alone. Along with material possessions we can share many things, our talents, our time and our sympathy.
The following poem has a good message:
I lay in sorrow, deep distressed
My grief a proud man heard;
His looks were cold, he gave me gold.
But not a kindly word.
My sorrow passed- I paid him back
The gold he gave to me:
Then stood erect and spoke my thanks,
And blessed his charity.
I lay in want, in grief and pain:
A poor man passed my way.
He bound my head, he gave me bread,
He watched me night and day.
How shall I pay him back again,
For all he did to me?
Oh, god is great, but greater far,
Is heavenly sympathy.
A sympathetic glance, an innocent smile, a kind word and a gentle touch can often work wonders in the life of many.
People gathered around Jesus to listen to his words of kindness. Even on the way to Calvary, crushed under the weight of the cross, he stopped to console the lamenting women of Jerusalem.
Dear brothers and sisters God wants us to be generous with our brothers; to be kind and gentle to them. Our acts of generosity and kindness will turn us into precious grains in the sight of God.
Satish