When Jesus spoke in today's Gospel reading, John the Baptist had already appeared as "a voice of one that cries in the desert" (Mt 3:1, 3). His call to repentance; and his ascetic lifestyle had been clear from the beginning.

Jesus, on the other hand, in His walkabouts, had cured the people of "all kinds of disease and illness" (Mt 4:23); and had also performed ten miracles (Mt 8-9). Therefore, Jesus' description of them as fickle and frivolous was spot on (vv 16-19)!

As it is, "John came, neither eating nor drinking," and they say, "He is possessed" (v 18). Whilst Jesus came, eating and drinking, they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners." (v 19). Neither John nor Jesus was acceptable by "this generation" because both challenged their conventional views and lifestyles.

In the end, Jesus said, "Yet wisdom has been proved right by her actions." (v 19). The different ways of John and Jesus saw lives change. John's message helped people repent of their sins. Jesus' dining, wining with sinners, and mingling with the masses impacted the people. They came close to Him and experienced His healing and miraculous power in their lives.

Let us repent of all that is unholy in our lives during this Advent season. Let us patiently continue to share the Christmas message in word and deed so that others may come to see Jesus as "a friend of sinners."