December
11, 2016
Gaudete
Sunday
Isaiah
35:1-6a, 10; Psalm 146; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11
According to the
Christmas countdown, we have 2 more weeks to go before Christmas. In a few
days, we shall already begin the Misa de Gallo – 9 masses of simbang gabi in preparation
for Christmas. These are just some of the signs that Christmas is near. Today
the 3rd Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday or Joyful Sunday. We use the
color rose today because it is the color of joy. But let us be clear, what is
the reason for our rejoicing this Gaudete Sunday? What is it that should give joy to us?
Let
us reflect on this in three points:
WE
REJOICE BECAUSE THE LORD IS NEAR. As Christmas is fast approaching, we
indeed find many reasons for rejoicing: the Christmas gifts, bonus, parties,
etc. But aside from these joyful practices, we should also find joy at the
coming of our Lord, at the coming of our Savior. The prophet Isaiah in the first
reading tells us: “Rejoice, be strong, fear not because the Lord is near.” Why rejoice
at the Lord’s coming? What will it do to us?
WE
REJOICE BECAUSE THE LORD WILL COME TO SAVE US. One
might ask: “How can I be joyful when I have serious problems?” Advent joy does
not mean that we should be laughing and joking all the time to forget our
problems. Advent joy invites us to
realize that even if we are encountering problems right now, we must never
allow them to defeat us. Someone said that “worrying is often a kind of
atheism.” We worry because we live as if God were not there. We worry because
we only see ourselves surrounded by many problems, but what we miss is that we
don’t see we are also surrounded by God. James tells us in the second reading,
we must not lose hope that God will come to save us. We need to hold on to his
promise. We need to be patient. We need to keep on doing our best to resolve
our problems because in God’s time He will come to save us.
WE
REJOICE BECAUSE THE LORD WILL NEVER FAIL US. In today’s
gospel, John the Baptist was in prison. But look at his disposition, even if he
was in prison, there is still joy in his heart because deep within he knew that
the Lord will never fail in his promise. What are some of the signs that the
Lord has truly come: gospel says, the blind now see, the lame now walk, the
lepers are cleansed and the deaf now hear. Sometimes focusing much on our
problems in life make our hearts blind, lame and deaf to the presence of God.
John the Baptist reminds us today that in the midst of these problems we must
continue to be firm in our faith and hope that the Lord will come and he will
never fail us.
My dear friends
this Gaudete Sunday, let us pray for the grace that our hearts may be filled
with joy knowing the Lord is near, He will come to save us and He will never
fail us. Amen.
