Third Sunday of Advent
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Reflection on Scripture
In the Jewish tradition it is believed that the Messiah would be announced by Moses and Elijah, who would return from the afterlife. When the Jewish leaders were questioning John, they did so out in faith and trying to understand the message that John was proclaiming.
Unfortunately, many missed the message because they expected the Messiah to come and return Israel to its former glory that existed during the time of Kings David and Solomon. They looked at John and dismissed him because he did not come with a message of power and might, as the people had expected. Instead, John clothed himself in animal skins and lived on the fruits of the desert.
What are our expectations for the coming of the Lord? Do we long for the consolations of the Lord? In other words, do we long for the Lord to correct everything that is wrong with our world, drive out all evil, and reign triumphantly with His chosen ones? This is what the Jewish people expected, and John was just too poor and maybe too radical for them to believe he was foretelling the coming of the Messiah.
The consolations of the Lord are the blessings He bestows upon us. The blessings are not bestowed because we are special but because someone special; namely, Jesus, is bestowing them. However, the greatest blessing we can be given by God is the gift of His son and the forgiveness of sins so we may be reconciled to the Father.
We prepare for Christmas and proclaim a time of peace and goodwill to all people on earth. But Christmas is not a season but a reminder that that the Lord came once as a child and will come again in glory. Advent is the time we prepare ourselves for His coming. In a real sense then, everyday becomes Advent. We are encouraged by Scripture to prepare ourselves for His coming by allowing the Holy Spirit to blossom in our hearts.
St. Paul tells us in the second reading, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus”. How do we pray always and without ceasing? Afterall, we have other things to do and we cannot be on our knees twenty-four hours a day.
What St. Paul is referring to is not the practice of being in a prayerful posture. Paul is teaching us to lift our hearts and minds to the Lord and notice the Lord’s presence in all we think, say, do, and believe. In the tradition of the Church, Paul is teaching us about contemplation.
How do you begin your day? Everyone has rituals and practices that become comfortable. My Mom would watch Mass in the morning and say her prayers, and then she would call the entire family to give them her blessing for the day. There is a practice in the Church called Morning Prayer. Whatever our ritual may be, we are encouraged to start each day by dedicating the day to the Lord. This is the practice of lifting our hearts and minds to the Lord. When we begin each day in prayer, being present to the Lord, it allows God to sanctify our entire day. Cooking, cleaning, going to work, or gathering with relatives and friends become moments when we encounter the living God and give glory to Him.
When we are instructed at the end of Mass to “Go forth glorifying the Lord by your life”, we are affirming that we will by our “Amen”. God will always grant us favors or what I have called consolations. What God really desires is to be the God of all consolation. In other words, to fill us with His presence so that our joy may be complete.
As Paul instructs us, Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.
May God continue to bless you
Deacon Phil