There is a reason to rejoice as we enter into the Third Sunday of Advent. Despite my blindness, there is light and vision. I do believe that all of us go thru all kinds of difficulties and struggles in life, especially on matters regarding work, finances, and relationships. We cannot afford to linger with these thoughts or be absorbed by this paralysis. Instead, we cling to what has been promised us by God, always “Rejoice” for today is Gaudete Sunday. Rejoicing in the Lord is a time to expect that something good is going to happen, but we need to wait patiently. When we wait, sometimes we easily give up and get frustrated. Waiting is not an easy path to choose.
I feel that sometimes when we are reminded of our present situation, like what is going on with us now, we choose to be in denial. So, let us try to journey and find consoling words thru the readings today.
The first reading today from the Prophet Isaiah reminds us that God will reveal to us His glory; therefore, our own physical disabilities will be healed, and the barren deserts will have much harvest and become abundantly fruitful. Isaiah says, “The desert and the parched land will exult…they will bloom with abundant flowers and rejoice with joyful song.” This is a promise that someday it will come. However, we should not just wait and hope and do nothing because we need to show our interest and enthusiasm to be alive, to work hard and share our conscious collaboration with the grace of God, transforming it to reality. It is God’s work through us that we can do by becoming more definitely involved.
The second reading from the Letter of James gives us a practical tip in order to be proactive of this watchful expectation. In reading this particular epistle, James says, “Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another….be patient until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth. You too must be patient.” (James 5:7-8) Patience is necessary to work with our fellow men and God for the realization of making our lives more faithful and fruitful.
The Israelites were able to conquer their fear of being abandoned. They continued to trust God in their journey until they were able to enjoy their new land of the covenant which was for them the good news of patiently waiting for such a great promise! This is the cause of their genuine rejoicing; they were able to see the eternal love of God for them. They were vindicated and restored their covenanted relationship. They have shown their fidelity and trust in God’s grace to bring about bountiful blessings upon His chosen people.
In the gospel today, I will take the last verse which is a more powerful statement coming from Jesus. He Said, “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist, yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
First, this statement from Jesus is a great affirmation for John, being the greatest person ever born. John knew so well about the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. He was taking his mission seriously as a precursor, a forerunner and the greatest Prophet.
However, he was not trying to isolate himself from his mission and becoming comfortable in the praises about him because he knew he was not.
Second, John being born of a woman, earned the words of Jesus, “the greatest,” and was never arrogant but rather internalized with the spirit of Christ through his humility, simple lifestyle, and his life of prayer in the desert.
Third, Jesus added these words, “yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Jesus is talking to us clearly stating that He is the person living in both the old and the new covenant. Jesus wants the Jews to consider listening to him and invites them to be born in this new way of Christ, being affirmed by John, that Jesus is the genuine Messiah who is in their midst to establish His kingdom.
Fourth, John opened to us the hope and a call to rejoice because Jesus is indeed the reason of Hope. Jesus comes to us to heal our sight and hearing and to help us walk the straight path of holiness towards heaven.
It is crystal clear that it was not John; nevertheless, Jesus is the real one to save us. We need not to intellectualize everything that comes from God. What is important is our faith that allows us to be joyful that Jesus was actually sent to us as our Savior. This season of Advent is really a time of great rejoicing because Jesus is the one being sent to us.
Let us rejoice and be glad!
Fr. Arlon, osa
El Dictado del Corazón: Trigésimo Domingo de Adviento, año A
- Isaías 35:1-6A, 10
- Salmos 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
- Santiago: 5:7-10
- Mateo 11:2-11
Hay una razón para regocijarse al entrar en el Trigésimo Domingo de Adviento. A pesar de mi ceguera hay luz y una visión. Creo que todos nosotros estamos pasando por todo tipo de dificultades, luchas en la vida, especialmente en cuestiones de trabajo, finanzas y relaciones. No podemos darnos el lujo de quedarnos con la idea de ser absorbidos por esta parálisis. En cambio, nos aferramos a lo que Dios nos ha prometido, siempre “Alégrate” porque hoy es Domingo de “Gaudete”. Regocijarse en el Señor es un tiempo para esperar que algo bueno está por suceder, pero debemos ser pacientes mientras esperamos. Por lo tanto, esperar no es un camino fácil de elegir.
Siento que, cuando recordamos nuestra situación actual, como la que estamos pasando ahora mismo, simplemente estamos en negación. Entonces, intentemos viajar a través de nuestras deficiencias, encontrando palabras de consuelo a través de las lecturas de hoy.
La primera lectura de hoy del profeta Isaías nos recuerda que Dios nos revelará su gloria, por lo tanto, nuestras propias discapacidades físicas serán sanadas, los desiertos áridos darán cosecha y serán abundantemente fructíferos. Isaías dice: “El desierto y la tierra árida se regocijarán… florecerán con abundantes flores y se regocijarán con cánticos de alegría”. Esta es una rica promesa de que algún día para nosotros también llegará el fruto de nuestra espera. No solo esperar y esperar sin nada que hacer porque necesitamos mostrar nuestro interés y entusiasmo por estar vivos, trabajar duro y compartir nuestra colaboración consciente con la gracia de Dios, transformándola en realidad incluso ahora cuando las cosas no van bien para a nosotros. Es la obra de Dios a través de nosotros que podemos hacerlo al involucrarnos más.
La segunda lectura de la Carta de Santiago nos da un consejo práctico para ser proactivos de esta expectación vigilante. Al leer esta epístola en particular, Santiago dice: “Hermanos, no se quején unos de otros… tengan paciencia hasta la venida del Señor. Mira cómo el labrador espera el precioso fruto de la tierra. Tú también debes ser paciente. (Santiago 5:7-8) La paciencia es necesaria para trabajar con el prójimo y con Dios, para la realización de hacer nuestra vida más fiel y fecunda. Así como los israelitas lograron vencer su miedo al abandono, continuaron confiando en Dios en su camino, hasta poder disfrutar de su nueva tierra de la alianza que es para ellos la buena nueva, ¡de esperar pacientemente tan grande promesa! Esta es la causa de su genuino regocijo; pudieron ver el amor eterno de Dios por ellos. Fueron vindicados y restauraron su relación pactada. Han mostrado su fidelidad y confianza en la gracia de Dios para traer abundantes bendiciones sobre Su pueblo elegido.
En el evangelio de hoy, tomaré el último versículo que es una declaración poderosa que viene de Jesús. Él dijo: “De cierto les digo que entre los nacidos de mujer no ha habido ninguno mayor que Juan el Bautista, pero el más pequeño en el Reino de los cielos es mayor que él”.
Primero, esta declaración de Jesús es una gran afirmación para Juan, siendo la persona más grande jamás nacida. Juan sabía muy bien acerca de la venida de Jesús, el Mesías. Se estaba tomando en serio su misión como precursor y el mayor Profeta. Sin embargo, no está tratando de aislarse en su misión y sentirse cómodo con los elogios sobre él porque sabía quién era.
En segundo lugar, Juan naciendo de una mujer, de quien se ganó las palabras de Jesús el “mayor”, nunca desvanecido por la arrogancia sino más bien interiorizado con el espíritu de Cristo y a través de su humildad, estilo de vida sencillo y su vida de oración en el desierto.
En tercer lugar, Jesús añadió estas palabras, “pero el más pequeño en el reino de los cielos es mayor que él”. Jesús nos está hablando claramente afirmando que Él es la persona que vive tanto en el antiguo como en el nuevo pacto. Jesús quiere que los judíos consideren escucharlo e invitarlos a nacer de este nuevo camino de Cristo siendo afirmado por Juan que Jesús es el Mesías genuino que está en medio de ellos para establecer Su reino.
Cuarto, Juan nos abrió la esperanza y un llamado a la alegría porque Jesús es precisamente la razón de la Esperanza. Jesús viene a nosotros para sanarnos de la vista, el oído y caminar por el camino recto de la santidad hacia el cielo.
Está muy claro que no fue Juan, sin embargo, Jesús es el verdadero Salvador. No necesitamos intelectualizar todo lo que viene de Dios. Lo importante es nuestra fe que nos permite estar gozosos de que Jesús nos haya sido enviado como nuestro Salvador. Este tiempo de Adviento es realmente de gran regocijo porque Jesús es el que nos está siendo enviado.
¡Regocijémonos y alegrémonos!
Padre Arlón, osa
Extraordinary Form Latin Homily: Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)
Today is the Third Sunday of Advent which we always call “Gaudete Sunday,”Gaudete in Domino semper; iterum dico, gaudete. Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice. I like this rose color vestment; it means that we are preparing in joyful anticipation. The rose vestments today are a reminder of the first rays of dawn. In the meantime, before the sun is up, we are called to “make our hearts firm” in order to walk with God through the desert, and to work with God on the fields that will bear fruit.
Sometimes during winter when we experience darkness, silence, and stillness, a world defined by absence, notwithstanding a world in which many of us could finally give in to our problems and hectic lives, we should not be paralyzed in captivity but rather sing in joyful response, pray with much joy for there is freedom and rejoicing and remember in psalm 84:2, LORD, Thou has blessed Thy Land: Thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob. (Benedixisti, Domine, terram tuam:avertisti captivitatem Jacob.) Rejoice in Gaudete.
The first epistle today from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 4:4-7 gives us hope. Our anxieties, worries, doubts and fears are nonetheless familiar to all of us. We are searching how we can overcome the storms of life that occupy and bother our minds and hearts. Sometimes we think that it is impossible to resolve, even though we attempt to rationalize letting go to revert them in order to escape from and to be healed.
Today we learn from St. Paul prescribing joy and thankfulness as the necessary antidote to cure our minds from the strongholds of anxiety, which subsequently enables us to effectively commune with God in prayer. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2–4). By God’s grace, our attention on what God has graciously provided us, rather than what we selfishly lack, prepares our hearts and cleanses our minds so we can freely cast our cares upon the Lord. As a result, God will surely grant us peace thru our abandonment and prayer because it is what we truly need more than ever. When we are attuning to God’s will, then our worry and anxiety will be healed by God’s gift of peace which allows us to live freely.
The gospel taken from St. John 1:19-28 reveals to us about John’s familiarity with the messianic presence when the priests and Levites asked John, “who are thou?” Tu quis es? John’s response, “”I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the path of the Lord,” quoting the Prophet Isaiah. This is proof that John was a true prophet whom scripture announced. He was strong, dedicated and living out his mission to prepare the path of Christ. Then Jesus takes the opportunity to amaze the people of his humble service and greatness, “for I am not worthy to untie His sandals.” St. John is pointing towards Jesus as the One coming after him and, therefore, he invites the people to listen to Jesus.
Today, we are invited to focus on the coming of Jesus and not on our own fears and anxieties because it will cause us to stumble and lose the spirit of joyful waiting. Instead we should care about our prayer life. By our perseverance in prayer, we are invited to listen and to live the scripture passages we hear today.
Jesus asks to live with joy at our being released from our fears, blindness, deafness, and paralysis. WE are praying with St. Paul and St. John the Baptist to get over those disturbing moments in our lives. Let us listen to St. John, who affirmed his belief that Jesus is the Messiah. Our immediate response must be to be open to transforming the effect of the Words of God, the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in order to rearrange our values, and our ways of seeing, believing, listening, and living. It takes time to get accustomed to this change. The more we become receptive to His grace the more Jesus is about to be born which we consider that “by the grace of Thy visitation, enlighten the darkness of our minds.” (et mentis nostrae tenebras, gratia tua visitationis illustra).
Deo gratias. Thanks be to God.
Fr. Arlon, osa
