Advent 2-Tuesday-Repentance

Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

John the Baptist did not announce a watered-down God. His message was bold and he claimed, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matt 3:11) He announced that the coming Messiah would not be a tame representative of God. 

John knew that his own message was powerful, but that Messiah would bring an even more dramatic change to the world.

Baptism seems like a simple and innocent enough sacrament of the church when we see a baby brought into the household of faith. John however, promises and warns, that God’s Holy Spirit will come as part of that baptism.

Have you ever felt baptized by Fire as promised by John?