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(15th Dec 2024) Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent

READ: (Zeph 3: 14-18; Phil 4: 4-7; Lk 3: 10-18)

REFLECT: Be Joyful, rejoice in God for Jesus is the real Joy…

Dear friends, we are in the third Sunday of Advent. The third Sunday of Advent is also called as “Gaudete Sunday or rejoice Sunday.” It is because of the nearness of the coming of Jesus and celebration of Christmas, where Jesus comes to dwell with us and bring us unending Joy, provided we seek joy in Jesus. We hear in St. Paul’s letter to Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God” (Phil 4:4-6).

Yes, we need to rejoice as the time of God’s arrival is near. The great theologian Henri Nouwen has very beautifully described the difference between joy and happiness. He says, “While happiness is dependent on external conditions, joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing – sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death - can take that love away. Thus joy can be present even in the midst of sadness.”  We all can experience that real joy, if we have Jesus in us and give Jesus to others. Thus, focusing on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflection;

1.      Be Joyful in hope

Pope Francis, in his 2014 Gaudete Sunday homily has very aptly pointed out saying, “Gaudete Sunday is known as the “Sunday of joy”, and that instead of fretting about all they still haven't done to prepare for Christmas, people should think of all the good things life has given you.” Yes, instead crying over the past failure, we need to look up to heaven with gratitude to God for all the blessings and good things that God has given to us in life. That’s the real preparation that we could make for the coming of Jesus. That’s what something similar we find in the first reading from Prophet Zephaniah, making the people of Israel to think of all the good things that God has done  and the blessings which God is now about to bestow on them. This is the joyful news for the people of Israel as they would experience redemption from their waywardness and wandering.

The first reading from Prophet Zephaniah tells us why the people of Israel need to be joyful and what the Lord himself will do for the people of Israel; the Lord will take away the judgments against the people Israel; clear away their enemies; the mighty God will save them; God himself will rejoice over them; God will silence them his love; God will exult them by singing; God will gather them and they would never again through such suffering and pain in life. So we see here, how God takes initiatives to bring upon them the joy he wishes to give. Perhaps, we could imagine, it could be a celebration and great rejoice, which no human effort could withstand. The celebration and joy would be to such an extent, organized and arranged by God through the prophets. The words of the prophets and the acts of God manifest how much God loves the people of Israel and how eagerly he waits for their return to himself.

In fact, it is God’s promise of complete restoration to the people of Israel. They have suffered a lot in the hands of Babylonians while they were in Babylonian exile. They were without lands, without temple and have gone after other gods. No doubt that the people of Israel suffered for what they did, very specifically for their act of faithlessness and failure to realize the unconditional love of God. However, through the words of Prophet Zephaniah, God promises the people of Israel to restore them from such a sorry and pitiful condition of life and assures them of the joy that they would experience. The joy is incomparable and great.  Such is the love and generosity of God, in bringing joy to the people of Israel.

Similar things happen with us too. We tend to forget the love and faithfulness of God. However, God never forgets his promise and never withdraws his love towards us. God continues to manifest to us the same measure of love. That’s the greatness of God. Even, today God offers us an invitation  to make us joyful, but we are not in a disposition to say ‘yes’ and walk the way he shows us. We need to realize that we are called to be joyful people as the coming of the Lord is near. As joyful people, preparing our hearts and minds to welcome Jesus, we need to radiate our lives with the sense of gratitude and genuineness of life. Our gratitude to God for all the blessings and our genuine life for which we have been called for would make us joyful. Let us experience that intense and deep relationship with God to be joyful always. The moment we set our eyes, minds, hearts towards God, life obtains its meaning and it becomes a joyous journey with God.

As Pope Francis would say, “There are different ways of carrying out the plan that God has for each of us, which is always a plan of love. And the greatest joy for every believer is to respond to this call, to offer all of himself at the service of God and his brothers and sisters.” Yes, let us respond to the call of God joyfully to serve God and serve others. I am sure genuine service to God and to humanity would definitely bring joy and make us joyful people or joyful witnesses of God.

2.      Rejoice in God

We all need to rejoice in God and not in the joys and pleasures of the world. To rejoice in God would mean that we find deep, lasting and contentment in what God has done for us. We could perhaps assert and say that it is an expression of delight, deep experience and manifestation of gratitude to God for all that God has blessed us with. By rejoicing in God and in his way we intimately get united with God, find happiness and newness in life. The rejoicing in God enables us to renew one’s life and commitment to God in our relationship with him. Therefore, to rejoice in God means an undivided attention to God alone and we are deeply moved by the warmth and love God offers us in our journey of life. That’s what we find in the second reading from St. Paul’s letter to Philippians, where he exhorts the people to rejoice in God always.

We see in the second reading of St. Paul’s letter to Philippians, the opening verse mentions the word ‘rejoice’ twice. It underscores the importance of the word ‘rejoice’ and it also gives us a spark, where and how we could rejoice. St. Paul is very clear in his statements, “rejoice in the Lord” and “not rejoice in the world.” Yes, when we rejoice in the Lord, our joy is great, real and unconditional but when we rejoice over the world, worldly desires, privileges, dreams and plans, we would only ruin our lives quickly. It could give us only temporary happiness and not the unending joy, which we could obtain in God alone. St. Paul was able to differentiate that real rejoicing after he encountered Christ on the way to Damascus. Ever since his life changed, his priorities changed and above all his life changes. Therefore, he extends invitation to the Philippian community of believers to rejoice in God and not to rejoice in worldly ways and desires.

Indeed, we could experience the real rejoicing in God by our love for God and for one another; it is by our faithfulness to God, his teachings and to the people. Today we need to seriously look into and evaluate, where do we rejoice, in what do we rejoice and how do we rejoice. Is it in God or of the world? We must rejoice in God by prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, because the Lord is at hand and not to be anxious or worried. When everything done in prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, we would obtain the peace of God, which is beyond the understanding of human sensibilities or capacities. The things that we rejoice in or rejoice for may not be as much as God wants us to rejoice or we would rejoice; when we have God with us and do God’s will in our lives. Therefore, the real rejoicing comes to us, when we engage ourselves in prayer, supplication and thanksgiving. However, the three act of rejoicing in God is not very much visible in our lives.  Sometimes, we take it for granted; we sometimes ignore; we sometimes care the least to such basis characteristic traits that give us real joy in God.

This is what Pope Francis, while preaching on Gaudete Sunday, has very aptly pointed out and shared: “To have this joy in preparation for Christmas, first, pray. Second, give thanks to the Lord. Third, think of how we can go to others to bring unity, peace, and joy. This is the joy of the Christian.”  Yes, we need to pray, give thanks to God and bring peace harmony in our world. This is the real rejoicing in God that we pray to God unceasingly, giving thanks to God and acknowledging his presence always above all to make harmony and peace prevail in the world. Today, the world has witnessed world-wars and personal wars at each other have and have ruined their own lives and others lives too. Today we need to check and change, as where our rejoicing lies in. Is it in God or is it in world. We pray that our rejoicing is in God, so that we may experience fullness of life.

3.      Jesus is the real Joy

As we know that previous section in of the Gospel of John 3:1-9, John the Baptist proclaimed repentance and forgiveness of sins. He now continues to exhort the people to amend their lives. As a result of his proclamation, people began to pay attention, looked keenly into their own lives and started reflecting as how they could amend their lives to welcome Christ, the Son of God. That’s why they ask a question to John the Baptist, “What they must do.”? The crowds, tax collectors, soldiers ask John the Baptist, what they should do? It is a question seeking for willingness to know, willingness to change, willingness to learn what they can do or how they could live or go about in life. John the Baptist answers them accordingly to prepare them how they should be. He plainly says to them share the cloak who does not have anything, share the food, who does not have anything to eat, stop collecting money more than what is required,  do not accuse anyone falsely and be happy with the wages the soldiers were paid.

The interesting that we learn from John the Baptist’s proclamation is that he does not ask the crowd or tax-collectors or soldiers to quit their own profession rather he demands from the and instills in them to be sincere, honest, fair and just in dealing with one another and their own profession. Therefore, it is important, what profession we are in and how fair we are in our career. Because, fair, honest and sincere in career or profession would manifest what sort of persons we are and what’s our character. If our character and personality is affected by good things and godly things, values and virtues, we would automatically be good and promote. Thus we need to possess in ourselves fairness, honesty and sincerity in dealing with oneself and others.

Further, after the proclamation of repentance, forgiveness and the exhortation of John the Baptist to amend people’s lives to share and prepare the way for the Messiah, he now accepts his stand and makes known to the people the status of Jesus. That’s why John the Baptist announces to people with humility, “I baptize you with water, the one coming after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire, he is mightier than me.. I am not worthy to untie the dust of his sandals.” This is the most important quality and the preparation required for each one of us to accept with humility that Jesus is important in my life. It is not me or my work or my plan, dreams, desires are important but Jesus is more important in everything. Such an attitude and approach would help us understand the right perspectives of life; such an attitude will open ways for growth and good changes in ourselves and others.  Such an attitude would create life with optimism and zeal. Such attitude will make us models for people to follow.

Certainly, John the Baptist was a true example after the heart of Jesus. He first of makes known the people their sins; he urges them to repent for their sins to obtain forgiveness from God and ultimately he shows to people that he is not great or he is not the messiah rather he indicates to people that Jesus is the messiah, the saviour, who has power to forgive sins and redeem us from every stain of sin or bondage. Thus the real joy is found in Jesus and not in oneself or the worlds with its whims and fancies. We need to find joy in Jesus first and then the right perspectives of life would be determined. That’s what John the Baptist did. He realized and understood that real joy is in Jesus. He did it with an act of humility. John the Baptist joyfully proclaimed that Jesus is the messiah; Jesus is mightier than John the Baptist himself; he joyfully announced that Jesus is the master of our lives. Therefore, what John the Baptist was doing was only a preparatory step to obtain the fullness of Joy in Jesus, who is full of joy and who is the fullness of joy himself. All those who seek Jesus shall obtain everlasting joy and bliss in life.

Let us always remember that Joy includes Jesus –others- you (JOY). If Jesus is not the first or the centre of life, we won’t experience the fullness of joy in life. Most often it is other way round; we give importance to self, others and Jesus. Jesus becomes last; we forget the real joy; we ignore and lose our touch with God. Let us pray that we find real joy in Jesus, who would make us always joyful. As Pope Francis would say, “An encounter with Jesus always brings you joy and if this does not happen to you, it is not a true encounter with Jesus.” Yes, true encounter with Jesus always brings joy. John the Baptist was one such person, who encountered Jesus , who considered Jesus as the first prime person of his life and obtained joy in life. Let us as well encounter Jesus and experience the joy of life

RESPOND:

Are we joyful people in hope as the coming of the Lord is near?

Do we rejoice in God and his ways or the world and its ways and values/

Do we realize that real joy is found in Jesus before we could search elsewhere in life?

Let us by joyful people in hope, rejoice in God always and realize that real joy is found in Jesus and not in worldly wisdom or values. Amen.

God bless us all… Live Jesus!