We read in today’s Gospel that in response to John the Baptist’s call for repentance, people from Jerusalem, Judea, and the region around the Jordan—the entire Israel—flock to him for baptism as they acknowledge their sins. Obviously, they see themselves as sinners and transgressors of God’s law. John, God’s messenger, accepts their repentance and submerge them into water. Going under water represents death, and rising from it symbolizes new life.

But the Pharisees and Sadducees, who come to John, do not receive words of encouragement from him. Either they do not see themselves as sinners or they do not believe that John’s baptism is “from heaven” (Mt 21:25). But John, who is full of the Holy Spirit, is not one to be fooled. He sees in the religious leaders a disposition other than that of repentance, and warns them not to rely on their belief that they are true children of Abraham.

As “religious professionals,” the Pharisees and the Sadducees can claim that they are more faithful to the Law of Moses than the rest of the people. But in the eyes of the Baptist, everyone is in need of repentance. John calls the religious teachers “brood of vipers” (v 7), that is, persons filled with malice. They may have been careful to observe the minute regulations of the Law, but they are guilty of a grave fault of which the Baptist warns them: presumption. They feel secure in their own “virtues” and in their belief that they are children of Abraham. They need to awaken from their “virtues” that impede them from submitting wholeheartedly to John’s baptism.

As in the parable of the Prodigal Son, the “prodigals”—tax collectors, prostitutes, and other sinners—have returned to the house of God, the Father of mercies, by submitting to John’s baptism. They have awakened from their life of sin. Will the “elder brothers”—the Pharisees and the Sadducees—“wake up” from their life of “virtue,” from their self-righteousness, and see their need of repentance? On our part, do we beat our breasts with our mea culpa as we await the coming of the Savior?

“Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.”

Brothers and sisters: Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, to confirm the promises to the patriarchs, but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing praises to your name.

In those days 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.”