REFRAIN FROM DOING EVIL
John the Baptist, along with Mary and Joseph, are undoubtedly the most representative characters of Advent. Mary and Joseph lived his advent intensely, in preparation for and acceptance of Jesus' birth. Juan for his part, when the opportune moment arrived, began to prepare the way by the announcement of the Good News. "The shoot of the trunk of Jesse" had arrived, and it was necessary to wait for it in a dignified way. Specifically, John invites to conversion, to recognize faults, symbolically purifying himself in the waters of the Jordan River.
But how to show that conversion? Following the long prophetic tradition of the people of Israel, John asks them to turn away from injustice, mistreatment, meaningless and uncompromising worship. That means "prepare the way and straighten the paths", making the words of the prophet Isaiah our own (Is 40,3).
Fr. Tarcisio