“The crowds asked John the Baptist,
“What should we do?”
He said to them in reply,
“Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
“Teacher, what should we do?”
He answered them,
“Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
Soldiers also asked him,
“And what is it that we should do?”
He told them,
“Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages.”

Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.” (Luke 3:10-18)

Through John the Baptist, God calls us to share our extra cloak with our brothers and sisters who have none. He calls us to let go of our excess goods and to be content with our wages. There exists an impulsive desire to take the “best option” for one’s self, even if it means depriving the so-called “best option” from others. In many cases, the impulsive act of fulfilling one’s bottomless pit of wants inflicts pain on others. Particularly in America, the way in which our sinful greed damages the lives of others is abundant.

There is a tendency to ignore this sin by assigning certain individuals as nobodies. One could champion the rights of women, yet wear a blouse knowingly put together by a group of deprived women working in a sweatshop. In this way, the lives of so many of our brothers and sisters through Christ are ignored. This great inequity is driven by a lack of contentment. The attempt at satisfying material desire is a very unfruitful pursuit. No matter how many luxuries one obtains, there will always be more out there that he or she still doesn’t have.

I have seen myself struggle with being content, particularly with material objects. Recently, during my prayers to God, I have been asking him to help me be content. I ask him to help me direct my mind towards him when I find myself wanting to buy some unnecessary item likely made by one of his daughters or sons under immoral conditions. And he has been helping me to improve.

John preaches the good news of our Christ's arrival. Jesus has given us the true gift of happiness in the way he gives us a relationship with himself, the Holy Spirit, and our Heavenly Father. The cause of joy is not wealth, but rather it is stepping into God’s light. It is being a servant of our Lord and giving our extra cloak to our sisters and brothers.

It is caring for the spiritual well being of those around us. We share a beautiful love with our Heavenly Father. He has been abundantly gracious in the love he has for us. I feel such deep love for our God, and when I fully contemplate God’s love for me, I feel overflowed with joy. I have found that in life, no matter what happens, there is a feeling of satisfaction in my heart produced by knowing God as my gracious, loving Heavenly Father and myself as his daughter.

Learning to Be Content: Peri Sonnier

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