Rejoice! For while we are yet sinners, a great Messiah comes to us!
A homily from the third week in Advent based on readings from
Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 146, James 5:7-10, and Matthew 11:2-11.
These readings are available at the USCCB website.
Gaudéte in Dómino semper: íterum dico, gaudéte. – Dóminus enim prope est.[1]
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. – Indeed, the Lord is near.[2]
This is Gaudete Sunday! We rejoice! We rejoice for a very special reason. We rejoice for while we are yet sinners, a great a Messiah comes to redeem us. In the first week of Advent, our readings invited us to be vigilant, and so we are. In the second week of Advent our readings invited us to repent, to change our lives for the better, and that continues. Now we rejoice, for the Lord himself is near. And what a redeemer he is! In our first reading, Isaiah tells us of the greatness of the redeemer that will come to restore us. Our second reading confirms for us that Jesus is the one who Isaiah and the all the prophets foretold. In our gospel today Jesus himself reveals that he is the Christ.
The Greatness of the Restoration
It is easy to read the Old Testament and say to ourselves, “All that is just ancient history.” Every bit of the Old Testament is true. It’s mostly all historic, but it’s so much more than “just” history. The Old Testament is the story of God and his people. It is the story of God’s people and God. During Isaiah’s time, the people of God have fallen short of the covenant, as they so often did. Isaiah speaks for the Lord as he takes them to task for this. He also proclaims God’s plan for their restoration.
It is God’s desire for restoration that is at the heart of this Advent season.
We, too, have fallen short of our covenant with God as we are so prone to do. This is what makes vigilance and repentance such an important and ongoing part of our lives. This week, we rejoice in the hope of our restoration. We know that Christ became human to redeem us – to restore us to the promise of our first parents. God becomes man to restore us to union with himself. By taking on our nature, and uniting it to the Godhead, everything changes for us[3]. Our nature, fallen as it is, is now restored. All that awaits is our response!
How great is our redeemer? Our redeemer is God himself. There is none greater! He brings life to us in the desert and strengthens us even in our weakness. The Christ we await is no simple folk tale! He comes with power to save us! He is the promised one.
The Promised One
Last Tuesday, we celebrated the feast of St. Nicholas, from which get Santa Claus. The St. Nicholas story is a beautiful one about a saint who took the needs of the poor to heart and took action. This, perhaps, is the origin of gift-giving tradition at this time of year. This is an important part of Christmas, but it pales in comparison to the coming of Christ who brings the ultimate gift – our salvation.
In our gospel today, John the Baptist through his followers asks the poignant question, “Are you the one, or should we look for another?”[4] John the Baptist, knowing of the greatness of the coming messiah, asks this question with I am sure a fair amount of sorrow, of weariness. He has dedicated his life to preparing the way of the Lord, and if he was expecting an amazing transformation of society did not get it. Herod is still in power. The Romans still dominate the Jewish people. The Jewish power elite still collude with the Romans. John himself is imprisoned for speaking against Herod’s marriage. He seems perplexed, I have always imagined that he was somewhat disheartened.
I think I understand. After all, we see similar things in society today. Faith seems to be dominated by secular powers. Our leadership, including many prominent Catholics, have sidestepped Church teaching in search of political power. Commenting on marriage (or refusing to say the politically correct things) can cause trouble. We each live with this, but the struggle between the sacred and the secular, between earth and heaven, is as old as people are. We read of it in the Old Testament; we see it in the New Testament, as well as in our news today.
And just like our gospel, we too can rely on the words of Jesus. He comes for us! We have that great a redeemer in Jesus Christ! Jesus reminds John the Baptist’s followers and us to focus on what is really important. It is not the clothing of the minister. It is not the reeds swaying in the breeze in the background. What is important is the word of God, the coming of Christ himself. That is what Jesus says should be important to them. It is definitely what is most important to us!
We Look to No Other
In the difficult times, as well in as in the good times, we look to the Lord who saves us. We look to none other than Jesus Christ. In him we have salvation. In him (and in the Church he gave us) we have guidance. Think about it. You and I can rely on God himself to support us. God! More than that, we can rely on the God who took on our flesh, who became fully human like us while remaining completely God. Pick any super-hero from the Marvel universe or anywhere else. None of them are God! Pick and hero from the world of sports or politics or science. None of them are God! None of them have picked the entire human race to redeem and restore.
Yet in our case, the one for whom we wait this Advent is exactly that. We wait for God in the person of Jesus Christ to come at Christmas to redeem us. We have great cause to rejoice. We have great cause to prepare ourselves. Remember, in these final days of preparation, that are many Reconciliation Services available nearby. What better way to be ready to receive this most special gift than by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation!
Gaudete! Rejoice!
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. 6 ¶ Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [5]
Christ the Lord is coming indeed. Our great messiah is near. Now is the time to make our hearts ready for him!
[1] Catholic Church, Missale Romanum: Ex Decreto Sacrosancti Œcumenici Concilii Vaticani II Instauratum Auctoritate Pauli PP. VI Promulgatum Ioannis Pauli PP. II Cura Recognitum, Editio Typica Tertia. (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2008), 135.
[2] The Roman Missal: Renewed by Decree of the Most Holy Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, Promulgated by Authority of Pope Paul VI and Revised at the Direction of Pope John Paul II, Third Typical Edition. (Washington D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), 153.
[3] Athanasius says: Whence, by offering unto death the body He Himself had taken, as an offering and sacrifice free from any stain, straightway He put away death from all His peers by the offering of an equivalent. (On the Incarnation 9.1).
[4] Matthew 11:3
[5] The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006), Philipians 4:4–7.