Advent Reflection - Week 3

GAUDETE SUNDAY “REJOICE”

On this third Sunday of Advent, we light that beautiful rose-colored candle on our Advent wreath that signals a change in our Advent focus. Having taken these first two weeks to “wake up” and to “prepare the way” for our Savior through honest self-examination as John the Baptist exhorts us, we transition to JOY in anticipation of the coming of our Lord of the present and our Lord of the not yet. The word “Gaudete,” derived from the Latin “rejoice” appears throughout the prayers and readings of Mass today, beginning with the Entrance Antiphon, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice! Again, the Lord is near.” In the first reading, Isaiah paints a beautiful image of a desert in bloom, prophesying a time when the Lord in our midst will heal the weak, bring vindication and salvation. The eyes of the blind will be opened, the deaf shall hear, the lame will leap, the mute will speak. There will be everlasting joy, and mourning and sorrow will flee. Wow! Does it sound impossible? It sounds like heaven to me…..our ultimate union with our God, the final destination for which our hearts are restless as St. Augustine tells us.

But James brings us back to the reality of the present. He reminds us that as much as we desire the joy Isaiah describes, we need to be patient, be strong, because the Lord is coming. We wait in faith, just as the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth. But in the meantime, he says, stop complaining! Treat one another with dignity, kindness, and mercy. If there is any doubt that all of this will come to pass, Jesus puts the questions to rest. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells the crowd in effect, open your eyes, open your ears, open your heart to the works you have seen me do. Believe what John the Baptist told you because he IS the messenger who has prepared the way before me. I am the Messiah of whom he spoke and who was chosen to herald my arrival.

Many of us come into this season burdened with many cares and concerns; everything from physical pain, to mourning the loss of a loved one, to the physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion of being a caregiver, or worry about family members and close friends. To be truly joyful feels unattainable. But Jesus is telling us, “open your eyes, your ears, your heart,” because I am among you. Just look at the deeds I’ve done! Even as we anticipate the celebration of His birth, Jesus is among us now, in the midst of life’s challenges. We only need to open our eyes, our ears, our mouths to not only see Jesus, but to be Jesus by our acts of love, kindness, and mercy toward our neighbor, to be present, as Jesus is present to us, in the little things that we do for others or others do for us that bring us joy each day.

Recently, as I helped to serve dinner at the Salvation Army, I marveled at the warmth and gratitude of the guests we served. Despite having spent the day in the bitter cold, they could smile, exchange warm words, and express genuine thanks for the meal. My eyes and heart were opened. They were Jesus to me.

As Kate Bowler aptly said, “The world is still a mess, but God is still coming.” And yes, through the Holy Spirit present in us, God is here. Allow His presence to lead you to joy. It is our connection to the Holy Spirit that gives us the courage to trust in the Lord of the not yet - when the desert will bloom. When we will see the “glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.” Rejoice in the Lord always! Again, I say, rejoice!”

May your celebration of the birth of Christ be filled with joy and eager anticipation.

De Colores,

Sue Dougherty