Word to the Wise
Sunday, December 17, 2006 - Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete!)
[Zephaniah 3:14-18A; Philippians 4:4-7 and Luke 3:10-18]Brothers and sisters: Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near!
Both St. Paul and the Old Testament prophet, Zephaniah, are chosen by the church to accent the third Sunday of Advent, which is traditionally known as "Gaudete Sunday" (Rejoice!). Why then is John the Baptist chosen for the gospel? It's almost as if he is invited to be the "party pooper!" He has put "the fear of God" into his listeners and now they ask, "What should we do?" The listeners are not the elite. They are common folk, tax collectors, and Roman soldiers! At least they know of their need to change. Is the sense of joy opposed to the sense of conversion? I don't think so. If there could be a better incentive to change our lives to meet the presence of the Messiah, I don't know what it could be except the joy that comes to us in that relationship. The false cultural "joy" offered by our secular culture gives us little but material goods to be happy about - at least for as long as the guarantee or batteries last. John the Baptist challenges us to a life that is lived with integrity and justice - a life that is whole. This wholeness is demonstrated in the way we treat others. This is more than a "be nice at Christmas" thing. It is a way of life. If we want it, this is a good time to work on it. If real joy is our goal, then we can start with changing the attitudes that make us unjust toward our neighbor. Do we need to be visited by Scrooges' ghosts to be convinced? AMEN
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