First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11

Reflection:

Originally intended to refer to the Prophet Isaiah himself (thus, the use of “I”), this passage also pointed forward to the coming Messiah, who is the “anointed one.” In fact, the fulfillment of these words in Jesus Christ is made explicit in the Gospel of Luke. In chapter four of Luke, it is recorded that Jesus was in Nazareth and went into the synagogue on the sabbath. During the liturgy, Jesus was handed a scroll of the book of Isaiah to read to the assembly. He read this very passage, and after finishing the reading He proclaimed, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). In the ministry of Jesus, we see Him doing the things listed in this passage from Isaiah. Jesus “brings glad tidings to the poor,” “heals the brokenhearted,” and “proclaims liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners.” With Jesus, the Messiah, “justice and peace spring up before all nations,” for He opened the door for the proclamation of the Gospel to the Gentiles (i.e. “nations”). Thus, Jesus Himself fulfills these profound words of Isaiah.

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Reflection:

This Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent, which is called “Gaudete Sunday.” The Latin word Gaudete means “Rejoice!” On this Sunday, we rejoice in the nearness of the celebration of Christmas. To signal this, rose vestments may be worn by the celebrant, instead of the typical violet for Advent. One may also note that the third candle on the Advent wreath is rose colored. Rose signifies joy. Thus, this Sunday’s second reading calls us to “rejoice always.” Christian joy goes beyond a mere emotion and supersedes circumstances. The joy we have in Christ can remain regardless of what challenges we are facing in life. That is because we know God is in control of our circumstances. He is “faithful,” as Paul says. Therefore, we can “rejoice always” and “in all circumstances give thanks” because we have hope in God. Still, in order to experience the fullness of this joy, the Apostle Paul indicates that we must obey God. We must listen to the Spirit of God and “refrain from every kind of evil.” We are called to be “perfectly holy.” This is the true path to joy: sanctity. Following God’s will and allowing His grace to transform us leads to true happiness. Let us, therefore, seek Him, trust Him, and obey Him in order to find the deep joy that can only be found in God alone, regardless of our circumstances.

Gospel Reading: John 1:6-8, 19-28

Reflection:

This Sunday we hear about the coming of John the Baptist and his announcement of the Messiah, Jesus. The “light” in the beginning of this passage refers to Jesus, the eternal Word of God. This Gospel reading makes clear that John is not the Messiah but that he came to prepare the way for Jesus, the Christ. People were wondering about the identity of John. He was certainly creating quite a stir by his preaching and baptizing. The Jews were expecting the Messiah to come, so they wondered if John might be him. But John makes clear he is not. Furthermore, with the coming of the Messiah, the Jews were anticipating the return of the great Prophet Elijah. But John makes clear he is not him either. Nor is he “the Prophet,” another expected figure in the Messianic age. He, in fact, is the forerunner to the Messiah. John certainly had a prophetic and even Elijah-like role (interestingly, if we read carefully some of the texts about John, we see that he dressed like Elijah–wearing camel’s hair and a leather belt [see 2 Kings 1:8]). But he did not, in any way, want to take away attention from Jesus. He was not the focus. Rather, his role was to help the people be ready for the Messiah. Jesus had grown up among the people, but his true identity as the Messiah was not revealed until his baptism by John and his public ministry that followed. John acknowledged the greatness of Jesus and announced his coming, calling the people to repent so their hearts would be ready to encounter God in the flesh. In a similar way, we are called to prepare our hearts during Advent through repentance as we prepare to encounter Christ at Christmas. 

Application:

  • For this Gaudete (“Rejoice!”) Sunday, reflect on what you are thankful for. This week, write down things in your life that cause you to rejoice. Then, thank God for those blessings.
  • True joy ultimately comes through following God’s will for our lives. It is only in obedience to God, who knows what is best for us, that we will find true fulfillment. In what areas of your life do you need to listen more carefully to God and follow His will more fully? In what areas of your life do you need to repent for not obeying God? Take action today!