John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
Matthew 3:1-2
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
Reflection
John the Baptist preaches repentance to all of Judea, and many people come to be baptized by him. Even some Pharisees and Sadducees come to John for baptism, but he calls them out, telling them to produce good fruit as evidence of their repentance. John then says that someone is coming who is greater than him, who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.
John the Baptist’s message is one we should take to heart and frequently remind ourselves of. We must repent of our sins daily, always seeking to grow in virtue, not vice. If we don’t take our repentance seriously, then we are not better off than before.
Our baptism gave us the grace of removing original sin, but we must still work at rejecting sin, and growing in repentance for the sins we do commit. How is Christ calling you to repent today? What sins can you focus on eradicating from your life?
Saint of the Day
St. Ambrose: AD 337 – 397
| “The devil tempts that he may ruin; God tests that he may crown.” St. Ambrose |
The Healing Word 