And the crowds asked him, ‘What, then,
should we do?’” (Luke 3:10)
Some weeks ago I wrote a post about my late
friend Patrick[i].
Patrick was something of a control freak, and he wasn’t all that comfortable
with paradox or ambiguity. For Pat, things were black or white, right or wrong.
He liked definite answers. I can’t say that I blame him much as there are certainly
times when precise information is really important. Performing open-heart
surgery or dealing with high explosives might be times when you’d really like
to know things exactly.
Unfortunately, matters of faith sometimes call for intuition and spiritual
discernment or the intervention of the Holy Spirit. This is not comforting to
the Patricks of this world.
This Sunday, however, all you Patricks out
there can rejoice. This is our pink-candle Sunday, known liturgically as the
Rejoice Sunday or Guadete Sunday (if
you’re into Latin). Historically, it’s a time for the Christian Church to take
a break from the somber anticipation of Christ’s second coming and all those
lessons about the End Times and repentance, and kick back a little. Yes, even
though John the Baptist is still at it this week, calling folks a “brood of
vipers” and warning us about the “wrath to come” (Luke 3:7-18), he’s ready to
give a list of some practical “dos” and “don’ts” which should make the control
freaks feel a little more in control.
In last week’s lectionary, if you’ll
recall[ii], John was proclaiming a
baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This could beg the question:
Just how does one repent? What do you do when you repent? What does bearing fruit
for the kingdom look like? Are there any practical steps which let me know that
I’m repenting?
Well rejoice, my friend, because this
Sunday you’re in luck. John has some pretty clear and unambiguous words about
living a godly life. First, start by recognizing that your life in Christ is
supposed to accomplish something. This is true for you as an individual and for
our congregations collectively. There has to be some kind of “fruit” here. Somebody’s
life needs to be made better, some needs have to be met, some comfort has to be
given, and some bridges between people need to be built. If you’re not doing this
or helping this to be done in some way, you might want to start challenging
your own priorities.
Second, some justice needs to be done. If
you have goods to share, you need to share them. See what John has to say about
having two coats (v. 11). That’s pretty straight forward, don’t you think? In
the same breath John is calling for an end to oppression. What are you doing to
make the world a more just and peaceful place?
Thirdly, recognize that God has met your needs
and be grateful. On the crappiest day you’ll ever have (and I say this a lot),
God is providing daily and abundantly. The wealthiest person in the world is
the one who is satisfied with what he or she has. Be grateful and see how it
changes your thinking about stuff.
Fourth, be aware that Christ is your
judge, and all of this is just a call back to good, old-fashioned discipleship.
I amuse myself by thinking Luke could’ve inserted a line in this passage that
read, “And Lutherans were asking him, ‘What should we do?’” The answer, of course, would be the old instructions of
Lenten piety:
Pray every day.
Read the Bible.
Worship every week within the religious
community.
Be generous in giving an offering of your
finances, your time, and your abilities.
Be present as a volunteer in your church
and your wider community. Be involved.
Create relationships with other
Christians. Pray for them and share your faith with them.
Be an example to your children and their
children.
If you committed yourself to doing the
above, don’t you think your life would change? Rejoice, my friend. This isn’t
hard at all!
May God bless you during this holy season.
Thanks again for dropping by.
[ii]
If you don’t recall, the Gospel lesson was Luke 3:1-6. Or you could just scroll
down to the post immediately below this one.
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