Daily Gospel Reflection for December 15, 2024: Third Sunday of Advent

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Luke 3:10-18

" . . . but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Luke 3:17

When my kids were growing up, I tried to explain the reason rules and expectation were in place so they could understand the why. As a disciple, I suppose I need the same thing, and this is one of those Gospels that clearly lays out the what and the why.

As we head into this third week of Advent and find ourselves busy getting our hearts and homes ready, let’s ask why. Luke’s words remind us today of many things we should already know, but my heart was drawn to the why of the teaching. Why should I share, why should I do the right thing, why should I be concerned with others? Simply put, because I don’t want to be the chaff.

As a girl growing up in Kansas, our gigantic summer garden was the place of a thousand lessons. Popcorn was my favorite crop, but getting it from stalk to a warm buttery treat was a multi-step process. The final step took place at the edge of the field and involved a big box fan. We would watch as dad slowly poured the hulled popcorn from one bucket to another several times in front of that fan. We’d watch the chaff blow like snow into the field. Dad taught us that if we skipped this step, it would ruin the flavor, gum up the popper, and keep the popcorn from being fluffy and delicious. He said the chaff was useless and harmful, like our sins. As we watched the chaff float into the field, we knew it would be tilled under and destroyed, and Dad reminded us that making choices contrary to what Jesus taught would be more harmful to our souls than the chaff was to the popcorn. I often remember that summer lesson, and I don’t ever want my actions to cause me to be dismissed and destroyed like the chaff.

Ponder:

What are the thoughts, attitudes, or actions that need to be sorted and sifted from your life like chaff?

Pray:

Dear Father, thank You for loving me and shining a light on the places that need to be sifted from my heart. I beg You to root out the chaff and make me pure.

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