BEING ADVENT PEOPLE TO WHAT WILL JESUS COMPARE THIS GENERATION OF DISCIPLES...........

On this second Friday of Advent the Gospel Proclamation from Matthew 11, in particularly in verse 16; has Jesus asking the question, "To what shall I compare this generation ?"  At that time in doing so Jesus was admonishing the Pharisees and Scribes for their duplicity and cynicism in regards to the Coming of both Christ and the Baptizer.  They were equality critical of both, and yet as Jesus points out - John the Baptist came abstaining from food and drink, while Christ came eating and drinking, with his followers and strangers alike, and both were criticized for their actions.  As I preached in my homily this morning, we are all aware of the phrase, "You can't have it both ways".  Yet that is exactly what they did cynically and duplicitiously, because that did not want to accept the fulfillment of the Truth John prophsied to; and Jesus brought to fruition.  Being God's Advent People in the Church and the World of the 21st Century of Catholic-Christianity, how selflessly and devoutly responding to the prophetic call of John the Baptist and the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus the Christ ?  Are we unconditional in accepting the Gospel Values of Christ, or are we cafeteria Catholics and tepid Christians, when giving our wholehearted allegiance to the obligations and responsibilities of our Discipleship ?  When Jesus asks today's Gospel question of us and our generations on Judgment Day, what answer will we deserve ?  A declaration of authentic Faith and Fidelity; an incomplete and ambivalent finding  marked by indifference and resistance instead ?  God's Word draws us toward the Light of Faith, that strengthens our Hope, and sustains our Love, for answering the Call of Christ's Coming this Advent, and well beyond, as we respond and carry out the unconditional commitment placed upon our lives in our Christian Initation and the acceptance of becoming His Disciples...........Fr.  Troy