The Homily

An elderly woman in Kansas City went to the newspaper box on the corner every day. She placed her money in the slot, opened the door, and took as many newspapers as were there. Finally she was caught. The charge was that she was selling the papers. She was acquitted. In fact, she was taking them back to her home to use as fuel. She wanted to remember what warmth felt like for a few moments each day.
    
One third of our fellow citizens in the United States are either badly fed, living in sub-standard housing, or wearing rags. Sometimes they suffer from all three afflictions. The situation deteriorates daily. Our privately funded Soup Kitchens are sometimes literally running out of soup. Incidentally, contrary to popular prejudice, the majority of our poor are white and they are women and children.
    
We have the capability to watch a comet strike Jupiter, but we have failed to give an old woman in Kansas City fuel for her furnace.
    
Why should this tale of woe excite us this third Sunday in Advent? After all, in our mind's eye we can already see beautifully wrapped gifts and bright Christmas trees.

The answer is found in today's Gospel. It grabs us rudely by the throat and reminds us that ours is a Social Gospel. It is not merely a question of God and me but rather God, me, and the other person. 
     
What can be more explicit about moral questions than the three answers given by John to questions put to him?
     
The crowd asked him, "What must we do then?" In answer he said, "If anyone has two overcoats, he must share with the man who has none, and the one with an extra loaf of bread must do the same." John is not telling his audience to give away all they have. Rather, he is telling them to give out of their surplus.
    
Then it is the tax collectors' turn. "Master, what must we do?" His answer was swift, "Do not rob the taxpayers." This is becasue the Romans did not pay Jewish tax collectors. Collectors had to collect more than the tax and however much in addition was their salary.
    
Finally, soldiers asked,  "What about us?" John continues, "Do not practice extrotion or falsely accuse anyone. Be satified with your wages.

St Paul endorsed the advice of John. He is writing to the small Christian colony at Philippi in Greece. It had been founded by Philip, the father of Alexander the Great, and had been given Philip's name. Paul tells the Philippians, "Let your generosity be manifest to all."
   
This advice to be generous is a continuing theme in the letters of Paul. One finds it not only here but also in his letters to the Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, and in both letters to the Corinthians. 

Advent is the season of reflection and anticipation when we ready ourselves for the anniversary of Jesus' birth. But Advent isn't just about preparing ourselves for Jesus' birth. It is about preparing our selves for our own rebirth as we rediscover the true meaning of Christmas.  

Advent prepares us to know that the birth of Jesus is the birth of the Social Gospel. If we want to become Christ-like, we must rediscover that our lives must also become the Social Gospel. 

How important is it that we are successful in making our lives the Social Gospel? Our very salvation depends on it becasue in Jesus' last discourse with his disciples in Matthew, he equates our salvation with how we have treated those in trouble and need. In fact, he felt so strongly about this that he ends by telling them, "Truly, I say to  you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me."