Sunday, February 23, 2025
Theme: “The Transforming Power of the Gospel.”
Text: Luke 3:7-14
7. He said to those who came in crowds to be baptized by him: Brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father! For I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees: every tree therefore that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down and thrown into the fire. 10. The crowd asked him, saying, What shall we do then? 11. He answered them, He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise. 12. And there came also tax collectors to be baptized, and they said to him, Master, what shall we do? 13. And he said to them, Do not exact more than you have been commanded. 14. And the soldiers also asked him, And what shall we do? And he said to them, Do not extort or defraud anyone, and be content with your wages.
Let us remember:
When the flood of the gospel is released and its transforming power is at work, let us not resist this saving action. Let us allow ourselves to be carried away by the wind of the transformation that comes from the gospel. At this moment, everything has already been done so that we can experience the transforming power of the gospel. The Lord has even put the dunghill in order to push us to bear fruit worthy of repentance. If the results are slow in coming, we will die in our sins and miss the appointment of eternal life. Let us not render inoperative the work of the cross accomplished by our Lord Jesus. Let us also know that the axe has been laid at the root; the ax is ready to cut down the tree of our life. If we bear good fruit, we will escape being cut off. But if our life is still pagan, we will pass through the cutting into mini pieces; we will be dried and thrown into the eternal fire that never goes out. But this is not God's expectation because his will is that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Let us not be of these races of vipers, who undergo a partial transformation just by changing their integument, their skin without eradicating the dangerous venom. The transforming power of the Gospel succeeded in eradicating Saul's venom and he became Paul, now vulnerable, able to flee his persecutors, he who was before them. What can we do to undergo the transforming power of the Gospel? We must practice charity, compassion, mercy, fidelity, loyalty, hospitality, in short, practice the Gospel by putting on sincere love for both God and our neighbor. Excellent Sunday. Amen.
Alain Louz.-
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