December 17, 2017

3rd Sunday of Advent B Isaiah 61: 1-2, 10-11; 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24; John 1: 6-8, 19-28 Today on this third Sunday of Advent, we are celebrating Gaudate Sunday, or Rejoice Sunday. On this day, we light the rose candle in the Advent wreath and in some places the vestments are rose color. Let’s put this a different way using a different perspective. Am I getting in the Christmas mood? I am definitely busier. This past week I began my Christmas shopping. The first place I went was the Candle Factory in Williamsburg. I finished my shopping in under fifteen minutes. Then I waited in line for close to forty minutes to check out. Was I happy about this? I had no choice but to accept the situation. I also picked up stamps and envelopes for my annual Christmas letter. I updated this list. Am I ready? No? Am I’m rejoicing? Not yet, I guess. Am I happy? I’ve checked off a few things on my list but there is much left to do. So I look at this ‘Rejoice Sunday’ and ask, am I rejoicing? The definition of ‘rejoice’ according to Merriam Webster is “to give joy… to gladden … to feel joy or great delight.” Do I feel that I am giving joy at this time? Am I ‘joy filled’; I would have to say, I’m too busy. I ask myself another question, Am I happy? I am happy in what I’m doing. I’m happy to be a priest. I’m happy to be able to help people. I’m happy to bring the sacraments to people. I’m happy to see people excited and happy about Christmas especially our little ones. They tell me what happiness and joy is all about. Lord help me be a part of Your joy…Your love! Jeremiah contains what I feel is a tremendously important passage. He looks deeply into what is the right path to rejoicing and happiness. Jeremiah 9:22: “Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength, nor the rich man glory in his riches; But rather, let him who glories, glory in this, that in his prudence he knows Me, Knows that I, the Lord, bring about kindness, justice and uprightness on the earth; For with such am I pleased, says the Lord” Today’s readings are insistent about rejoicing in the gifts of God; rejoicing that He constantly helps us; rejoicing that we have this time to celebrate God’s ultimate gift to us, His Son, Jesus. Isaiah shows the joy the returned exiles experienced. His vision depicts the Jubilee Year found in Leviticus 25:10 where those who have lost their land and freedom will receive all back. As a result all “will rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul…” God is the joy of my life…He has done great things for me…we echo Paul’s, “Rejoice always”. What would it take for me to stop and reflect on God’s presence and love to me? How can I slow myself down from my busyness and look at the Manger scene or at the Crucifix or both even and see what good God has done for me? The more I take time to be grateful, the happier I will be. The more I express my thanks to God, for my life…my faith…my gifts…my family…my friends…my abilities to work, to share, to remember, to touch, to spread kindness, the more I will realize that the source of all, is our Loving God. If I don’t find time to do this these last days before Christmas, I will not rejoice. Why? Because, I’m putting the joy of Christmas in decorations, gifts, cards, festive meals, parties and the like. But the readings and life tell us that God is the source of all good. We switch gears and listen to how St. John describes John the Baptist; he does this much differently than the other gospel writers. First of all, John is never described as ‘the Baptist.’ He also is not characterized as the forerunner of Jesus. Nor is he described as a messianic figure. In John’s gospel the Baptist has one function which is to give testimony to Jesus. John says, He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.” John is sent from God. His mission is to testify ‘to the light’, to give witness to the fact that Jesus is the ‘Light of the World. A few sentences previously, John said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God…What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” Word and Light both are referring to Jesus. The Jewish officials sent priests and Levites to question John trying to find out who he was and what was his mission. They probably thought that because he attracted so many people he might be the messiah or perhaps he wanted to con the people into thinking that he was the messiah. Some scripture scholars say that when this gospel was written, some disciples of John still claimed that he was the real Messiah. During all their questioning, John boldly spoke out that he was not the Messiah. John the apostle then quotes Isaiah describing the actual return of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. The Lord is leading them, their road is made easy for them. It is all about God, not about John the Baptist, not about John the gospel writer, not about me or you. John the Baptist is giving witness to Jesus…much like a witness in court: ‘This happened…I know…I saw it…this is what I heard…now what are you going to do with this information?’ The Psalm response helps with this: My soul rejoices in my God”…Isaiah says, “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul.” The truth is that God created each person in love. This is not about putting ourselves down or belittling ourselves. We know God’s love. It is a dominant part of each moment of every day. When we acknowledge God’s gifts to us we are pointing to God’s love. This is where we find total truth. Life is living God’s plan in love and surrounded in love. We are totally pleased and rejoice in this. Each one of us, live this plan. Fr. Louis Brisson who was the founder of the Oblate Sisters of St. Francis de sales and the Oblates of St Francis de Sales, told his communities to, ‘Reprint the Gospel, day by day, with your flesh and blood. Who are we? We are living Gospels who heal and offer liberty to people held captive in any way, by announcing God’s favor so all people can sing with Mary: ‘My soul claims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1: 46) So I reflect on: • How do I answer the question, ‘what or who am I in light of my faith?” • List the concrete ways I can live the words of Isaiah, as Jesus did. • What did I do concretely this week to prepare the way of the Lord in my heart and in the heart of those around me? What are my plans for next week? • Is my heart open to God, my savior? Do I feel that I have to DO something BEFORE I can RECEIVE the Lord? • How much do ‘things control my life? Would I be happier if I were to resist the lure of possessions? • Can I make this Christmas a truly spiritual happening for someone else this year? Sacred Space 2017 states: “Here are questions we can ask ourselves: Who am I? What is my purpose in God’s scheme? Lord, I think of You beside me, seeing the good and the promise in me. This is what I want to say about myself: I am called into being by God, who loves me.