A Call to share what you have

‘The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same”’ (Lk.3:9-11).

It is believed that John the Baptist probably belonged to the Essenes. The Essenes were an ascetic Jewish sect during the times of Jesus. John calls people to return to God. Without more ado, the people pose a question- “what should we do.” That is a sincere response to the divine message, and John explains the way to repent. I would like to highlight two simple things from his teaching of repentance that will nurture our life and faith. Basic needs should be shared: Firstly, people ask John what they should do to repent.

Immediately he replies that anyone who had two dresses could share with the one who had none, and similarly with those who had more food. Personally speaking, this is an amazing fact! If someone came and said that one has to just share one’s dress and food in order to obtain repentance that would be the greatest joke. Yet here, a prophet says this! What does this mean? Is he trying to minimize repentance to a simple act of sharing? “Food and dress”-the basic needs of humanity!

Food is given by God, but dress is human-made; food is natural, but dress is artificial; yet, both are essential to human life in this world in order to live a life of dignity. Repentance was not a new concept for those people; it was a part of their life and spirituality. However, the teaching of repentance of John the Baptist is new in terms of method. In essence, men who repented tore their tunics (dress), fasted and prayed to God, in order to return to God from their transgression.

Here, John the Baptist calls for repentance and asks people to repent sensibly by saying, “Don’t tear the tunics, please share it with the needy and give your food to the needy, rather than just abstaining from food in the name of fasting. For John, real repentance should reflect in one’s action. The same idea is already recorded by Isaiah, pointing that real fasting was to share food to the needy, and not just fasting alone.

Also in Luke 19: 1-10, when Zacchaeus says “half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over,” Jesus immediately replies, “Today salvation has come to this house.” It is very important for us to make our spiritual practice relevant to the community needs rather than just remaining isolated.

Sharing should ensure equality: When we talk about sharing it is very important to think about the proportion, how much we have to share, and how much we have to keep back with ourselves. Our society always teaches us to share what remains after we have filled ourselves sumptuously. In societal point of view our sharing should in no way affect our personal life.

However, the Gospel of Luke also known as the “sharing gospel” particularly takes us a step ahead into telling us that sharing should ensure equality and not hierarchy. Postmodern understanding of charity is negative in terms of justice. The Greco-Roman world was also known for its sharing to the people, carried out in order to fulfill their religious practices. Here, John the Baptist challenges the crowd that the spiritual practice should ensure social justice. If you have two dresses share one; logically taking this into an account, if you share one when you have two, the recipient who receives it also becomes equal to the donor, as both would now have one each.

In the Zacchaeus event also, it is very interesting to note that when he said “half” of my positions and “4 times” of repayment he did not talk about charity but justice. How is our sharing? Are we sharing in terms of charity to help a person just for the present, or for justice, which not only reaches one’s need but also gives a new identity and social recognition? Sharing food means making a commitment or relationship between two people not just in terms of subsistence sharing.

Christian sharing never subjects people; it enriches their life and empowers their day-to-day experience. Here, John the Baptist calls for a radical generosity in which everything beyond subsistence necessities is vulnerable to the claim of need. This gives us a clean chit that living in Christological hope does not ignore social concerns but provides the ground for such concerns as well as its motivation.

John did not require his followers to follow his typical desert life-style; rather the life of one awaiting the kingdom of God was to be lived out in the world. The ultimate point is that right repentance will show itself in right behavior. When Jesus walked on the earth he never made anybody rich but he called many rich folk to share their wealth with the poor. Jesus knew that it is not socialism or capitalism that controls economics but human hearts and its desire. Christian life is a life to share what we have: our wealth, knowledge, and above all, our life as our Savior gave life for you and me. May the good Lord give this grace to each one of us. Amen.