We are familiar with the story based on Aesop’s fable about a goose that lays golden eggs.
Once a farmer and his wife had a goose that laid a golden egg every day.
They were convinced that it contained a great lump of gold in its inside.
Having become impatient of having to wait for its single egg daily, they decided to kill it in order to obtain all the gold they wanted.
But to their surprise, the goose was just like any ordinary goose in its inside.
Thus hoping to become rich all at once, the foolish pair deprived themselves of the gain by which they were assured day by day.
The English idiom “killing the golden goose” is derived from this fable which describes an unprofitable, short-sighted action motivated by greed.
Indeed, greed, if unrestrained, destroys.
In today’s Sunday Gospel, we are presented with the familiar figure of John the Baptist who serves as our guide in the advent journey.
He offers practical advices to different types of people who ask him what they should do.
To tax collectors, he suggests “stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
He exhorts soldiers: “do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”
In other words, he tells them: control your greed.
The people looked at John as a prophet.
Having lived in the desert, he practiced moderation.
He exercised a lifestyle of temperance in food and leisure.
Describing himself as a voice in the wilderness, he was convinced that he was called to prepare the way of the Lord.
In fact, he pointed out Jesus as “the Lamb of God” to his own disciples inviting them to follow him because “he must increase, while I must decrease.”
The Baptizer’s life was counter-cultural. He lived a life of detachment and selflessness.
His only concern was to remind people that the Messiah is near.
The message of John continues to be relevant today.
Greed and selfishness has become even more rampant in today’s society characterized by materialism.
The covetous heart desires for money, wealth and other possessions.
This reckless greed has become a more serious spiritual virus that has infected the world.
It is the cause of endless stress and ruthless competition in the workplace.
Moreover, this relentless ambition explains cheating in campuses, easy money through drugs and corruption in many levels of society.
Instead the Word of God reminds us to fight unrestrained greed by acquiring the attitude of gratitude.
We are to be thankful and appreciative for all the graces and blessing God has given us.
Let us ask God to cure our avaricious heart by being contented and living within our means.
As we start the Misa de Gallo, let us offering our morning sacrifices to pray for our country that we may turn away from the idolatry of gold but put God always at the center of our lives.