Word to the Wise
Sunday, December 12, 2010 - Third Sunday of Advent
[Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11]Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.
The third Sunday of Advent is traditionally titled GAUDETE SUNDAY from the Latin word meaning "Rejoice!" Perhaps it got that way because the period of preparation was nearly completed. (Kids looking at the stuff under the tree can identify with that!] Another way of looking at it is to see it as a reaction to the reality that is being celebrated - the birth of Christ and the hope that this brings. Liturgically, the mood is still one of anticipation. John the Baptist, imprisoned for his preaching against Herod, is looking for that hope, and so are his disciples, so he sends them to Jesus to ask if he (Jesus) is really THE ONE WHO IS TO COME. Jesus refers them to the signs of the kingdom that are mentioned in Isaiah and says to them, in effect, "If you see me doing what these signs speak of, then go and tell John!"
True rejoicing in this season is not to be found in the presents under the tree, but in the gifts of the Kingdom. These come from the heart and are expressed in practical actions of love and care. Can we give someone else a cause to rejoice? That someone else may be indeed in prison, or at war, or ill, or jobless, or hungry, or lacking clothing and shelter. They may be in mourning for the loss of a loved one or depressed at a hard loss. These are the folks who need those "signs of the kingdom" and who are crying out to all believers in Jesus: Are YOU the one who is to come?
The Letter of James, in the second scripture for today, urges patience, but some trials can be lethal if not taken care of in a timely way. I pray that Gaudete Sunday can serve as an inspiration to patience in regard to our own needs and "impatience" to reach out to those for whom hope seems very distant. What we can do may bring the incomparable gift of joy and hope. AMEN
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