Readings: Isaiah 35:1-6,10, Ps. 146:6-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11
“Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart: Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.” (Isaiah 35:3-4)
At any moment, life constantly presents us with reasons to be happy, reasons to be sad, reasons to be very afraid, and reasons to be hopeful; nothing seems entirely sure. Our cup is never full; it is either half empty or half full. If we consider all the evil around us, such as bad leadership, corruption, immorality, banditry, terrorism, attacks on the Christian faith, and so on, we may become sad, angry, depressed, and afraid, weak, and powerless. John the Baptist, like the Israelites, probably felt this way in prison. The same applies to the Christians at the time of James the Apostle.
However, John the Baptist did something extraordinary. He reached out to Jesus and sent some of his disciples to ask whether Jesus was truly the Messiah. In reply, Jesus said, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised…” (Matthew 11:4-5) This leads us to our first lesson today.
1. Look at the bigger picture. See the bright side. Rejoice and be Glad
The essence of our celebration today is to look beyond the troubles that surround us. The Church is saying today, put on your dancing shoes and start counting your blessings. That is why this particular third Sunday of Advent is called “Gaudete Sunday.” Happiness is not simply what you get when all your problems are over; it is what you choose regardless of your problems.
There will never be a time when all your problems are over. John the Baptist likely prayed to be released from prison, but this was not God’s plan. Jesus was saying to John, “Look at the brighter side instead. You have done your part; your ground-breaking work has begun yielding results, the blind see again, the deaf hear, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and even the dead are raised to life.”
Just because you are unhappy with many aspects of your life doesn’t mean God hasn’t helped you. The fact that not all your prayers are answered doesn’t imply that God is weak or no longer exists. Look around you; God is still performing great and mighty works for many. Maybe it’s not yet your turn, or perhaps your problems are blessings in disguise; whatever the case, don’t lose hope in God.
2. Do not take Offence at God
After listing the testimonies, Jesus concluded: “Blessed is he who takes no offence at me.” What does it mean to take offence at God? It is to become angry with God or to lose hope in Him. Many Christians today no longer believe that God can change their situation; some have stopped going to church, and some have even set the Bible ablaze and publicly renounced their faith.
At the core of the crisis he faced, Job’s wife said to him: “Do you still uphold your integrity? Curse God, and die.” (Job 2:9). In other words, end it. This was what the devil desired, but Job did not take offence at God. Job refused to curse God; instead, he burst into song: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last, he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God.” (Job 19:25-26).
3. With God, all things are Possible
In today’s first reading, we hear the prophet Isaiah say, “Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God… For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.” (Isaiah 35:4-6). What does this mean? That your situation can still change, and that God knows how to write straight on very crooked lines. The God who made a virgin pregnant without knowing a man can transform your life in a matter of minutes. The God who opened Elizabeth’s womb (the one called barren who was now old) is still reigning. God did it for Sarah. He did it for Elizabeth. He can do it for you.
Rejoice not only for your blessings, but also for what God can accomplish. Rejoice that you serve a God for whom nothing is impossible. Paul and Silas were thrown into prison for preaching the word of God, yet from prison (like John the Baptist), they began singing and praising God. “And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s fetters were unfastened.” (Acts 16:23-26)
4. Consider the Time of Pain as Planting Season
Nothing lasts forever. This is the message of St. James in today’s second reading: “Be patient… Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it until it receives the early and the late rain. You also need to be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble, brethren, against one another, that you may not be judged.” (James 5:7-9).
The book of Ecclesiastes states, “For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.” (Ecclesiastes 3:2) Remember that it is not the same day a seed is planted that it begins to bear fruit. Also, know that “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24).
There would be moments of pain we cannot escape, tears we must cry, losses we must make, and deaths we must die. These are planting seasons. They must come, and they must go. If the farmer eats all his seed and fails to “sacrifice” some for planting, there would be nothing to eat in the next season. Thank God for your adversity. Whatever you are going through right now is working for your good. (Cf. Romans 8:28)
These beautiful lines from St. Paul encapsulate today’s message: “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us.” (Romans 5:3-5).
Let us pray: O God, who sees how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity, enable us, we pray, to attain the joys of so great a salvation and to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (3rd Sunday of Advent. Liturgical Colour: Purple. Bible Study: Isaiah 35:1-6,10, Ps. 146:6-10, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11)
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu