Saint Gertrude Parish - Lasne

“Bear fruit that reflects your conversion,” John the Baptist tells us. Praying every day and going to Mass is good. It's even essential. But the fruits God expects from us also include respect for others, sharing with the hungry and cold, the courage to forgive those who have hurt us; and fighting against everything that destroys a person, a group, or a society. We sometimes hear about weapons of mass destruction. It's true they exist and they cause harm. But those that most annihilate our world are selfishness, indifference, social injustice, and financial scandals that plunge the poorest into poverty. Preparing for the Lord's coming into our lives and our world involves acts of welcome, sharing, and reconciliation.

It is in these acts of love and sharing that we recognize the presence and action of the Holy Spirit. They are a sign that God is already among us. We too are invited to welcome Him and all our brothers and sisters. On this day, John the Baptist directs us to the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. Through this baptism, He gives us an extraordinary power of renewal and re-creation, capable of transforming even the greatest sinners into saints. This fire spoken of in the Gospel is the fire of love that is in God.