BE JOYOUS AND LET YOUR JOY BE COMMUNICATIVE
Our Christian life is a call to us to be joyous and to let our joy be communicative to our brothers and sisters around us. This third Sunday of Advent is the celebration of joy. In the Holy Mass of today, the first four words of the Entrance Antiphon begins with Gaudete in Domino Semper, which means, Rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4).
Therefore, the third Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday. The term Gaudete refers to the first word of the Entrance Antiphon, Rejoice. Rose is the colour of our liturgical vestments. It emphasizes our joy that Christmas is near. Equally, at our celebration today, we also light the rose candle on our Advent wreath.
At this moment, our joy is more intense than when we began advent. Hence, we are encouraged to rejoice and be joyful for the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
OUR THEME
The theme of our celebration for this Sunday is rejoicing in the Lord with everlasting joy. It is appropriate timing. The readings invite us to rekindle our joy and animate others to do the same. We need joy, and the world needs joy too. However, the greatest is the joy in the Lord. That is why Nehemiah 8:10 declares: the joy of the Lord is my strength.
The theme of joy is never needed in our world more than now. The ravaging pandemic has robbed us of any known joys. It is not the only covid-19 virus that is our killer of joys. There are a lot of life issues or situations that affect our daily peace and joy. There could be personal, familial, societal and worldly problems. There are insecurity, violence, uncertainties, fears, wickedness and evil on every side. The Christmas song of joy to the world is much needed. The good news of tidings of the birth of Christ is urgent to gladden our hearts.
Finally, the state of joy and gladness is not an option for a Christian. It is a command from the Lord which we must live out daily in our lives.
A joyous life is not the absence of pains, sorrows or difficulties. Instead, the Christian life is full of consolation or comfort that soothes us amidst our pains, sorrows and hardship.
In other words, it is the joy of the Holy Spirit that offers us solace. Moreso, when we go through the crucible of personal or communal sufferings of life.
FIRST READING: ZEPHANIAH 3:14-18
The Prophet Zephaniah calls and invites the people of Israel with all its inhabitants in Zion, Jerusalem and Judah to shout with joy and rejoice. For the King of Israel, the Lord is in their midst.
Therefore no room for sadness, fear or mourning. The call to all Israel is rejoicing or singing for the victory, gladness, love and festival.
There is no condemnation or judgement, nor enemies or disasters that will come close to us. That is because salvation is near, and God himself will protect his people.
In all, Prophet Zephaniah reassures and comforts us with words like rejoicing, victory, God in our midst, strength, gladness, renewal, and celebration of the festival.
THE PSALM OF THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH
The responsorial to the prophecy of Isaiah 12:2-6 declares: cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel. The theme of God: Immanuel, who is forever with us, is deeply echoed in the Psalm.
The God who is in our midst is our salvation. He is also our strength, song, Saviour. He is a mighty God whose greatness is seen by all. And his glorious deeds are known through the earth.
Therefore, we are encouraged to sing, praise and shout with joy and thanksgiving.
SECOND READING: PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7
St. Paul gave an order to the people of Philippi; Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I repeat, rejoice! Let your gracious kindness or gentleness be known to all. The Lord is near.
He urges us not to give in to anxiety, fear, worry or care. Instead, we should make prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God to attain peace, prosperity and joy in Christ Jesus.
In other words, St.Paul encourages us to be happy and rejoice in the Lord always. It is a command from the Lord: again, I say rejoice. Paul sets before the Philippians two great qualities of the Christian life. That is the joy of living in the Lord and the gracious gentleness of our relationship with others.
At the same time, he urges us not to give in to care and anxieties. He encourages us that trust in prayer and be thankful for the blessings of God. That is the benediction of peace in our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Indeed, this is a song and prayer for the community of Philippians. They are to rejoice in the Lord, be free of anxiety and live in a spirit of thanksgiving. St Paul recognizes that human life is affected by many worrying things. He also acknowledges that being human implies vulnerability. That affects all the chances and the chances of this mortal life.
SPIRIT OF PRAYER
For Paul, the solution to the worries of life is prayer. As it is often said, peace is the fruit of believing in prayer. Paul presents us with a holistic understanding of prayer.
(i) Paul stresses that we can take everything to God in prayer. There is nothing too great for God’s power. And nothing too small for his fatherly care.
(ii) We can bring our prayers, supplications and requests to God. We can pray for ourselves, for forgiveness, needs in the present or future, for help or guidance.
(iii) Paul lays it down that thanksgiving must be the universal accompaniment of prayer. Paul insists that we must give thanks in everything, in sorrows and joys alike. That implies two things. It means gratitude and also perfect submission to the will of God.
Finally, When we pray, we must remember these essential three things.
We must know the love of God, whichever desires only, what is best for us.
We must remember the wisdom of God, which alone knows what is best for us.
We must be aware of the power of God, which alone can bring to pass that which is best for us.
Therefore, a life of total dependence on God is paramount.
THE GOSPEL: LUKE 3:10-18
In the gospel text of the third Sunday of Advent, Evangelist Luke presents us the personality and mission of John the Baptist. He did not only preach repentance through baptism. He also urges various groups of people to works of justice and charity.
John the Baptist teaches us the simple logic to happiness in life. That is through sharing, honesty and truthfulness, as well as humble acceptance of one’s place in life.
We could say that fundamentally, the Gospel Luke 3:10-18 addresses some essential principles of life towards happiness, joy, peace and graciousness at Christmas through the person and personality of John the Baptist.
There is a spiritual question we all ought to ask and evaluate in our Christian life. What should I or we do to prepare for Christ coming?
We are called or challenged to the spirit of generosity and sharing with others, particularly the less privileged among us.
We must live an honest, fair and just life through self-contentment and living within our means.
We must never use our positions, privileges, or authorities as a means of oppressing, maltreating or abusing people. That is, the lowly in our society.
We are encouraged by John the Baptist simplistic to a life of self-recognition and self-acceptance of our God-given grace and gifts. Equally, we must have self-knowledge of our abilities and limitations in life.
We must bear witnesses to the good news of Christ and his kingdom without fear or favouring anyone or anything.
There are three things about the message of John to the public, the tax collectors and the soldiers.
(i) It began by demanding that men should share. It is a social gospel. That laid it down that God will never absolve the man who is content to have too much while others have too little.
(ii) It ordered men not to leave their jobs. Instead, they have to work out their salvation by doing that job. Our daily job should be a duty and a commitment to God and humanity. Let the tax collector be a good tax collector. In the same way, let the soldier be a good soldier. It was a duty for men to serve God where God had set him.
(iii) John was quite sure that he was only the forerunner. The King was still to come, and with him would come judgment. The King would separate the good from bad people. That is people from each other like the chaff from grains.
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
Is your Christian life one of joy, happiness and peace? Do you celebrate joy and give or share the joy with those around you?
Are you a killer of joy, happiness and peace in others? Do you take pleasure publicly or silently in the pain, misery and sorrows of others?
Are you a religious sadist with a stone face Or an indifferent face to the joy of the Lord and others around? Or are you a spiritual herald of joy, grace, mercy, happiness and peace to those around you?
Is your Christian life one of dependence on God through prayers? Is your prayer life one of thanksgiving and praise to God? Or do you give in to bitterness, disgruntled and complaining or worrying instead of entrusting everything, every condition and circumstance of life to God?
Do you work correctly? Do you collect bribes, cheat, exploit or take advantage of people? Do you make money by threatening people or raising a false accusation against them?
Do you see your privileged positions or authority as a means of abusing, extorting or destroying others?
THE MESSAGE OF LIFE FROM THE CELEBRATION OF TODAY
(1) We should learn to a change of life. John the Baptist, the stern and uncompromising preacher, challenges our superficial attempts at change. He demands that we take a deeper look at ourselves. We must then examine our relationships with God and others. We must mend ruptures, ease or eliminate frictions, face family responsibilities, work honestly, and treat employees and employers justly.
(2) We all need to remember that we are, like John the Baptist, the precursors of Christ to the world. All of us are instruments of God.
(3) We need to apply the caring and sharing message of John the Baptist. In the light of the advice of John the Baptist, we might consider what we can share with others this Christmas. John does not ask us to give everything we have but only to share.
(4) What should we do in preparation for Christmas? It is the same question the Jews asked John. His answer, to them and us, is the same. Repent and reform your lives and prayerfully wait for the Messiah. Urgently, We are a call to more fervent prayer, fasting, penitential sacrifices, reception of the Sacraments, especially Confession and Eucharist, and constantly reading of the Bible
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, the message of no life of anxiety but one of joy and rejoicing is always a puzzling one. How can we live without worry or care in life? What about our job, family, or marriage? How do we hold on to peace and joy amid dirty politics, wars, conflicts, and threats of terrorism? How do we remain joyful with challenging health? Or with blinking future, of finances, especially at Christmas season of what we will eat, drink or wear or even where we will go? Lord help us with the spirit of joy to rejoice, be kind, thankful, and prayerful above all the cares and anxieties there in us and around us. Amen.
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