God asked John the Baptist to get the people ready for Jesus coming .John was a good man.Sometimes ,good people can use very rough language,even threats,to change the ways of others.John kept telling the people ...I,m only an instrument ...Jesus is the Good One ..a fire of love .He is the real sunlight .i,m only a candle.Follow Him.A good person makes others feel good.That happens all the time in home and family life,at work,in the shops,on the bus.When people notice us and are kind,when we share and are grateful ,we feel good .When Jesus came His approach was to tell all the people that God loved them always, from beginning to end,that God always cares ,and never leaves us on our.own.God through His Spirit coaxes us all the time,is never angry with us or threatening .John was surprised that Jesus was so soft hearted in his caring for lost sheep and no gooders.God Spirit coaxes us to be good.Mol on oige agus tiochaid sib is an Irish saying.It means praise the young and they will respond .That was Jesus way.He never met an unimportant person.

Liam Hickey, St.Ciarans, Hartstown, Dublin 15.