Preaching good news with exhortations
This week’s Gospel, Luke 3:10-18, ends with a line that surprises me: “So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people.” After some very forceful and frightening language about “burning with unquenchable fire,” St. Luke tells us this is good news. At first, this seems contradictory—how can warnings of fire and separation be considered good news?
It reminds me of a story from my short tenure as an A’level-qualified teacher at college. Having been a student myself the previous term and with no prior teaching experience, I approached my role with understanding, gentleness, and accommodation, assuming that’s what students valued most.
To my surprise, at the end of the year, the teacher who won the Best Teacher award was the English teacher renowned for his exhortations and even threats. The students said he cared about their learning more than any other teacher because he pushed them to do their best, even if it meant being tough.
Similarly, John the Baptist’s strong message wasn’t harshness for the sake of being harsh; it was an act of love. His strong words came from a desire to shake people out of complacency and prepare them for something far greater—the arrival of the Messiah.
His call to repentance and transformation, though unsettling, was meant to awaken hope and readiness for the Good News of salvation. Perhaps the lesson for us is that true love sometimes requires challenging truths that call us to change. Far from being destructive, they are a sign of care, meant to refine us and guide us closer to God.
Today, exhortations are not as popular in faith development. Much of our focus has shifted to accompaniment, gentle encouragement, and fostering personal discovery. While these are essential approaches, I can’t help but recall how, as a child, my Religious Knowledge classes were dominated by exhortations. Our teachers were firm and unyielding, often emphasizing the consequences of straying from God’s path.
While their methods could be intimidating, they left an indelible mark. Those exhortations instilled in us a deep sense of reverence, moral responsibility, and urgency to live out our faith. In hindsight, I see how their tough love mirrored John the Baptist’s approach—a call to wake up, repent, and prepare for something greater.
As we journey through Advent, John’s fiery words remind us that love isn’t always soft-spoken. Sometimes, it comes in the form of an urgent call to change, a challenge to let go of what hinders us, and an invitation to embrace the transformation God is working in our lives. May we find hope in this “good news” and allow it to lead us closer to the joy and peace of Christ’s coming.
Let us heed the exhortations of Advent with open hearts, preparing to welcome the One who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire.