The Third Sunday of Advent: What then should we do?
December 15, 2024 | Cullen Larson | Sunday’s Readings
“What then should we do?” – Luke 3:10
In his Gospel, Luke is careful to tell us that John the Baptist and Jesus came along at a very specific place and time in history, with particular characters in control of both religious and political power. Just like we in our own time and place.
Luke names people and places. Going through the region of the Jordan River, John pulled no punches about what he saw clearly as a ”brood of vipers.” John condemned evil and hypocrisy, and called everyone who would listen to repent, to turn around, to go another direction. And he pointed out clearly the One toward whom they (and we) should give our attention.
People from all walks of life came to ask John, in effect: OK, what can I do?
Unlike Matthew and Mark, Luke does not include an account of how John’s first prison cell quickly became his own death row when the executioner arrived. John’s time on death row was very short. But Luke does tell us that when John spoke out to censure the authoritarian Herod for his evil deeds, John swiftly landed in prison. Later on, Luke says that, like the people who had been coming to him with their questions, John sent from prison his own questions to Jesus. I think that John, not expecting to ever get out of prison, was basically wondering if he had wasted his life: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Luke 7:18
What then should I do?
Earlier this year, on March 19, 2024, I sent this via email to a friend in middle Georgia: “As I write, I offer this as a prayer as well, because right now the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole is meeting to decide on the clemency petition of Willie James Pye. If they deny mercy, he remains scheduled for execution tomorrow at 7 p.m. I will be joining one of the vigils, the one at St. Brigid parish in Johns Creek, Georgia about 30 minutes from here.”
Clemency was denied. Mercy was denied. The next night, on March 20 this year, Georgia executed Willie Pye, a man with intellectual disability.
What then should we do?
Whatever our role in life, John exhorts each of us to do something, to do what we can do, to live generously, honorably, justly – to live as if we really believe the good news that John preached to the people, and to boldly live as if we really trust the Good News that Jesus preached and lived before He, too, entered death row.
May Advent be a time when we come to embrace what we should now do, and in our doing it, a time when the reign of God emerges incarnate.
Reflection Author: Cullen Larson
Cullen Larson serves on the CMN National Grassroots Advisory Committee, and the Glenmary Home Missioners’ Justice, Peace, & Care for Creation Commission. He offers parish-based programs in Catholic Social Teaching. During 11 years with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) he was Regional Director for the 9-state Southeast Region-US, and Acting Country Representative for CRS in Iraq and in Tanzania, and Regional Representative for CRS Europe/Middle East Region, including CRS in Jerusalem/West Bank/Gaza. His education includes theology/philosophy (Loyola Univ, New Orleans), public administration (Univ of Georgia), law (Emory Univ), and pastoral studies (Spring Hill College, Mobile). Larson’s professional career includes law, local government, and community and economic development.