Homily for the Third Sunday in Advent, Year C

 

Zep 3:14-18a

Is 12:2-6

Phil 4:4-7

Lk 3:10-18

 

St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, Burkburnett, TX

St. Paul Catholic Church, Electra, TX

Christ the King Catholic Church, Iowa Park, TX

 

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again: rejoice!” (Phil 4:4) This Sunday is Gaudete Sunday – Latin for ‘rejoice’. Today is the liturgical halfway point for Advent. We light the rose candle on our Advent wreath and wear rose vestments because we joyfully rejoice that the coming of Jesus Christ is drawing near! Our readings today speak of our Heavenly King, coming soon to dwell among us. So, rejoice my friends, rejoice!

Zephaniah tells us about God’s promise to restore the Kingdom of David and renew His covenant with His people. Listen again to the language used in this prophecy: ‘he will rejoice over you,’ ‘he will renew you in his love,’ ‘he will sing joyfully because of you.’ Who does these kinds of things? A bridegroom, that’s who! Our first reading has a wedding theme because it is prophesying the ‘wedding’ of two natures: divine and human. In the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, God wed His nature to ours. Jesus is the promised bridegroom-king who reigns eternally on the throne of David. We are to rejoice at the coming of our King for He comes to dwell with us intimately, as a bridegroom does with his beloved. Jesus becomes one flesh with us when we receive Him in the Holy Eucharist. Let us then rejoice and make ourselves ready to receive Him!

St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians reminds us that, as Advent draws to a close, the Lord is near, and so we cannot help but rejoice. He gives us some practical advice on how to live a lifestyle of rejoicing. We should not live a life of anxiety; rather, we are to abandon ourselves to God’s Divine Providence. We are to radiate forth our reason for rejoicing by showing kindness to everyone. We should engage in a constant practice of prayer as an antidote to the worries of the world, including intercession, supplication, contrition, and especially thanksgiving in our prayer. How often we forget to include thanksgiving! Being thankful for the blessings we have received is crucial to maintain joy on both psychologically and spiritually. Advent is the time for all Catholics to recommit to living a holy life amid whatever circumstances we find ourselves. Rejoice always, for the Lord is near!

Our Gospel reading today is the last one in which we will see a focus on St. John the Baptist. Today we heard John shift from teaching to prophesying about the Messiah who was to come after him – Jesus Christ. John tells us that when Jesus comes, He will gather His faithful to Him, then He will burn the chaff – that which is unworthy of Him – with unquenchable fire. How does that fit in with our theme of rejoicing this Sunday? All of us are facing challenges in our lives, some from personal issues and some from the wider culture around us. In the midst of all this, how do we rejoice? Many of us are dealing with financial issues, health problems, work stress, and dysfunctional family relationships. These will all be burned away with the chaff. In the larger world, we are grappling with political nonsense, racial tensions, a global pandemic, a general attitude of hostility toward religion (particularly Catholicism), and an unstable economy. These will all be burned away with the chaff. Remember - the Gospel is not a plan for material comfort in this life. The good news is about eternal life with God, through Jesus Christ. Our eternal life begins with our baptism, but we will not see it fully realized until we are living in the world to come. The good news is about heaven and what lies beyond this life. Rejoice, my brothers and sisters, for our King comes and our eternal reward awaits!

Dear friends, the persistent exhortation in Sacred Scripture to rejoice is not based on an external reality from this world. Our joyful rejoicing is based on an interior and eternal reality: that Jesus Christ has come and taken up residence in our hearts. In the Holy Eucharist, we participate in communion with God – the Holy Trinity - even now, as a foretaste of the life to come in heaven. This truly is good news! The Gospel tells us to share with the poor and find contentment with our station in life. These are not actions for people who live for this life, but for people who live for eternal life. Gaudete Sunday gives us the opportunity to rediscover what the Gospel is truly about, why we are a people of joyous rejoicing, and how to live generously, as people who do not live for the here and now, but for eternity. So, my precious Catholic Christians, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again: rejoice!”

St. Joseph, Most Valiant, Pray for Us!