THE REVOLUTION OF JOY.

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December 15 2019: Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete) - A

 


READINGS: Is 35:1-6a, 10; Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10; Jas 5:7-10; Mt 11:2-11
A Dutch proverb says, “It's a poor heart that never rejoices.”
 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” From that beautiful antiphon said in Latin words, this third Sunday of Advent has its calling, “Gaudete” or Sunday of Joy. Through today’s liturgy, we learn that Christian life is a life of joy, a revolution of joy. Actually, the coming of the Lord will bring about a great revolution. The whole creation will feel and exult at his presence. Those who were lamenting or living in the valleys of tears and darkness will see a new light. Everything that kept mankind in sorrow, and slavery will be destroyed, even the greatest human infertility, sin, will be smashed. So will the joy of the redeemed people will be great and blissful. That day long awaited is at hand. We already have sight of it. Externally, we just need to look around in our surrounding, all speaks of Christmas. We feel the magic of this season everywhere: decorations are already set, the Belen are being built, and even the nature communicates of the imminence of the season, cool or cold weather. Christmas is really at hand. So, rejoice!
The word of God for our today’s celebration will not be a cacophony or a wrong note in that melody of joy. In the first reading, the Prophet Isaiah announces to the people of Israel the sight and signs of that coming joy. “The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song.”
Many, indeed, are the signs which will follow and testify of the coming and the presence of the Lord and give more reason to rejoice. Among them, Isaiah says, “…The eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.”
This is actually a real revolution which will take place. Because, even the whole creation will sing with elation. Let us just imagine a desert covered with flowers in abundance. The waterless land becoming productive, that is nothing less than a revolution. This is actually what will happen, Isaiah says, with the coming of the Lord. And that won’t take long before happening.
Seeing the proximity of that event, James in the second reading exhort us to be patient. Often, when you prepare yourself for something and it seems delaying or taking a little longer than expected, the temptation is to fall in despair and lose patience. The Apostle James exhorts the Lord’s followers who, in front of difficulties and trials were losing hope of his coming, “Be patience… Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.” This exhortation is also addressed to you and me. And not only that we need patience and courage, waiting for the Lord’s coming, James adds, “Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged.” We have not to complain or murmur, but instead, live in good harmony and be filled with joy. Patience pays. The farmers have great lessons to give about patience. By waiting patiently and still working, a farmer harvests the fruits of his labor. The farmer who has no patience abandons his field in the bush and loses everything, all his efforts turn into vain. Signs of the coming of the Lord are plenty today. We just need to open our eyes and see them and therefore, rejoice.
In the gospel, we hear off John the Baptist. He is the “immediate precursor or forerunner, sent to prepare his way” CCC. 523. There is however, a certain irony in the gospel. John, we know, came to prepare the way of the Lord. He preached in the desert as we heard last Sunday, inviting people to repent and turn away from sin, because the day of the Lord was at hand. The irony here is that, while in prison, John seems questioning himself about the Messiah he preached and the messianic time. Thus, his question through messengers to Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”
This question, actually, translates not only the feeling of John alone, but the expectation of the whole people of Israel. The people, and John includes, where expecting a political and powerful Messiah who will come to overthrow the Roman Empire and restore a Davidic kingship. With Jesus, however, they are faced with a kind of deception. Instead of political fighter, they have a servant and compassionate leader, one who walks their streets preaching the good news, healing the blind, the deaf, the lame, the leper, raising up the dead and comforting the afflicted and the poor; a too much compassionate teacher. That sounds disconcerting and puzzling. Hence, the question of John, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”
Jesus, however takes them back to the prophetic message of Isaiah. God is coming not to fight man and destroy him, but to bring him joy and release him from the real power which enslaves him. He comes to make himself close to mankind so than humanity should get close to God. This sounds a beautiful lesson to all those in position of authority and to our today’s leaders. It is a call to service and becoming servant of the poor. Christmas, or the coming of the Lord is an exhortation to reorient our perspectives and accept like Jesus, to make the difference, bringing joy to those who need it the more. The real joy is not what one gets for himself, rather, what one gives to others.

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