What Shall We Do?

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'” John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation and be satisfied with your wages.” Luke 13:1-14

Today we hear from John answering the people he baptized. They wanted to know how to live. We too want to know how to live. Yet the answer is always simple. Share with others, treat people with kindness, have compassion, and do not steal others money. It is how we would all want to be treated, and how we are instructed to live from an early age. May kindness, compassion and love be the way we live today.

Loving Creator, teacher of our hearts

we are made with the gifts needed

the world will thrive if we share 

we will thrive if we live compassion.

Competition and greed overtake us

and we forget what we learned as children

we forget to share our food and clean up

so others might have joy and abundance.

Help us today to be agents of your love

let us take only what we need, give the rest away

let our hands and hearts always be open

so we might touch the hearts of others today. Amen.