God’s Word: Third Sunday of Advent, Year A [Gaudete Sunday]

Third Sunday of Advent, Year A

11th Dec., 2022

📖Reading📖

Is 35: 1-6A, 10
Ps 146
Jas 5:7-10
Mat 11:2-11

On the Third Sunday of Advent, Mother Church entreats us to Rejoice exceedingly because what we have been preparing for is almost close at hand. This Sunday, therefore, is called Gaudete Sunday which means Rejoicing Sunday.

The selected readings try to put us in a rejoicing and joyous mood through the employment of beautiful imagery.

The words of the Prophet Isaiah set the tone of rejoicing as the dry and desert lands rejoice amidst blooms of beautiful flowers.

The admirable sceneries of Lebanon and Carmel shall be their lot and the glory of God will confirm their new and glorious states of life.

The weak shall be strengthened and the fearful shall be made courageous by the words of the Lord.

Beloved, all the above are great reasons for us to rejoice. The Lord assures His people of better days ahead.
He already wants them to start rejoicing before the fulfillment of these promises.
We too must learn how to rejoice even in the face of difficulties.

To be happy when things are hard and harsh is a sure and strong sign of faith. This is because we do not stagnate ourselves on the present but look into the future with hope.

St. James will encourage us that there is a gap between promise and fulfillment. The virtue that links the two is patience.

He proposes the farmer as a model for us. Just as the farmer does not reap the very day he sows but takes time for the seed to rot, germinate, sprout, be watered, grow, pruned and harvested when matured, so must we take our time to go through the same process.

But my beloved, we must not necessarily go through each of these processes. The Lord that we serve breaks protocols for our sake. That is why we have miracles. He has the power to shorten the process for us.

The gospel reading presents to us a John the Baptist who appears to be confused about the identity of Jesus. This was the same John who baptised Jesus so as to fulfill all righteousness. This is the same John who pointed out Jesus to his disciples as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Why would he send his disciples to enquire from Jesus if he were the Christ?

One school of thought claims that because of his imprisonment, he could not witness firsthand the ministry of Jesus. All he had to rely on was hearsay.

Another school of thought claims that John wanted his disciples to know who Jesus actually is. This means that, he sent his disciples to Jesus for their own good. That, they will see Jesus as the Messiah.

Beloved, for me, Jesus’ works and words show who he is. His works re-echo the messages of the Prophets of old and his works affirm the power of God in him.
It is only the Messiah who can combine both prophecies and fulfillment.

As we put our trust and faith in Jesus, may our blindness give way to clear sight, our weak and feeble limbs give way to strong and agile ones, our dumb and sealed lips give way to clear audible speech.

“💦Lord Jesus, may our lives be filled with rejoicing as we wait on you.💦”

Source: Rev. Fr. Donatus Pallu