December 7, 2025: Second Sunday of Advent

Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven I 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.”

Reflection

In Prague, imbedded in the city’s sidewalk are the series of “stumble stones” (Stolpersteine), which are brass-plated memorial cobblestones. Their purpose? To cause one to be interrupted in their journey.

Each stumble stone bears the name of a person who was deported or killed by the Nazis. These stones are meant to cause the traveler to stop and reflect, to pause and be present.

John the Baptist uses a stumble stone of sorts to interrupt our reading here. He does not mince words. Saying that you are aligned with God cannot be enough.

If we do not bear good fruit, we will be thrown into the fire. Tough words! But necessary to cause reflection: How are we living our lives? What are we doing to combat injustice in the world? What good are words without deeds?

Action

Read more about stumbling stones.

What moments in your life have caused you to stop and reflect? What did you gain from these times?