Daily Gospel Reflection
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December 7, 2025
John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair
and had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey.
At that time Jerusalem, all Judea,
and the whole region around the Jordan
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.
When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
And do not presume to say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our father.’
For I tell you,
God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,
but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand.
He will clear his threshing floor
and gather his wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
How should we feel as we count down the days until Christmas? Excited about the celebrations we might attend or the presents we might receive? Nervous about the punishment incurred for being naughty instead of nice? Stressed about last-minute preparations?
Frantic preparation before Christmas and eager anticipation of the holiday’s gifts are as old as the holiday itself. Today’s gospel depicts a hectic scene not unlike a Macy’s department store on Black Friday. Folks from “Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan” lined up to secure their claims to the gifts of Christmas—John the Baptist playing a role akin to that of a shopping mall Santa. However, unlike the comforting promise associated with today’s cheery conception of Advent, John’s message is bleak and bitter. He scolds the crowds and warns of a “coming wrath.”
How hard is it to get into heaven? According to John, it’s really hard! To escape the “unquenchable fire,” John says, we must “produce good fruit as evidence of [our] repentance.” What fruit could someone like me or you possibly produce to convince God, the Lord Almighty, that we are worth saving? Is there any hope for any of us?
John answers these questions with a radical reversal of the relationship between deed, reward, and punishment. Salvation is not the reward for good works; salvation is the goodness that enables us to become worthy in the first place. Jesus’s fire brings not only destruction but also transformation. “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Fire is not just the punishment for our sins; it is the forge that can erase them. Likewise, God’s grace is not just the reward for a good life; it is the gift that makes a good life possible.
Prayer
Jesus, you taught the crowd and your disciples that whoever was to be the greatest among them would be their servant. May all leaders be inspired by your example of humility, seeking not to exalt themselves at the expense of others, but rather to serve and support those under their care. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Although St. Ambrose is a great saint in his own right—he had a brilliant mind, was a political star of his time, and is one of the 38 doctors of the Church—he is perhaps best remembered for prompting the conversion of the great St. Augustine.
He was born to a Roman family of nobility and had several siblings who also became saints: Marcellina and Satyrus. He was educated in Rome and became known as an eloquent and convincing speaker.
He was trained in the law and was noticed by important politicians in Rome. He was appointed the governor of Milan, one of the most important offices in the empire, before he was 35 years old.
Milan’s bishop died and a controversy arose as to who should succeed him. The dispute threatened violence, so Ambrose went to plead with the crowds himself. While he was speaking, a voice shouted, “Ambrose, bishop!” and the whole crowd took up the cry. Both sides of the dispute unanimously proclaimed him bishop of Milan, even though Ambrose was not yet baptized.
Ambrose tried to escape the election by appealing to the emperor, who simply said that he was pleased to appoint governors worthy of being also bishops. Ambrose next tried hiding in the home of a friend who was a senator but was given up. Finally, on this date in 374, he yielded and was baptized. A week later, he was ordained a bishop.
He gave up all of his belongings to the poor, as an example to the people of Milan and so that he could focus on his duties as bishop. He was famous as a teacher of the faith and a scholar of the Bible. His preaching drew crowds, including a young and noncommittal St. Augustine, whom Ambrose taught and later baptized.
In a letter, Ambrose wrote the following about the art of preaching:
"Let your words be rivers, clean and limpid, so that in your exhortations you may charm the ears of your people. And by the grace of your words win them over to follow your leadership. [Let] no word escape your lips in vain or be uttered without depth of meaning."
Ambrose preached often against the Arian heresy. Ambrose's learning and preaching earned him the title "Doctor of the Church," an honorific given to 37 other saints who are known for elucidating the faith by their words or example. His relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and a stained glass window in the Basilica portrays Ambrose confronting Emperor Theodosius, who was responsible for ordering a massacre of 7,000. The emperor repented publicly for his action because of this encounter and was reconciled to the Church. Ambrose later presided over his funeral.
St. Ambrose, whose preaching drew Christians into a deeper life of faith—pray for us!