Patient Hope: Reflections on the Readings for the Third Sunday of Advent, Cycle A

If you haven’t already read the readings you can find them here.

Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10
Psalm 146
James 5:7-10
Matthew 11:2-11

Today is Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means “rejoice” and refers to beginning of the entrance antiphon in Latin, “Gaudete in Domino semper” which means, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” This is also why the vestments and trappings in the church (and the Advent candle we light today) are pink. Pink is for the joy that we are approximately halfway through the penitential season of Advent (yes, penitential, like Lent, which is why the vestments have been purple and the Gloria omitted). The entrance antiphon is from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, “Rejoice* in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!”

These signs will also become more meaningful as indicators of the Messiah when we read today’s gospel reading. Jesus’ answer to John’s followers when they questioned if He was the Messiah echoes this passage from Isaiah clearly linking Him to it. We also read that the Lord will ransom His people. Referring to Psalm 49, “No man can ransom even a brother, or pay to God his own ransom. The redemption of his soul is costly; and he will pass away forever.” Thus we see another connection to the Messiah as Jesus ransomed us, the costly debt we could not pay, on the Cross. The outcome will be “joy and gladness.”

Salvation is also the theme of today’s responsorial psalm, “Lord, come and save us.” We again see the link to the Messiah and to the first reading. “The LORD gives sight to the blind; the LORD raises up those who were bowed down. The LORD loves the just; the LORD protects strangers.”

God’s kingdom, which comes with the Messiah, who is of the House of David the king, is referred to, “The LORD shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations.” With the Messiah comes the kingdom of God. As Jesus noted at the beginning of His public ministry, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The selection from the letter of St. James, itself a wealth of hope, faith, and spiritual advice altogether, also mentions the coming of the Lord. “Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.” Like many other selections we read during Advent, this is a reference to the Second Coming of Christ (on clouds of glory). But, like the farmer, we must be patient. Remember, God’s time is not the same as our time. “But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8) We must model our waiting after the prophets. “Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”

As noted above, the gospel selection is a direct link to the reading from Isaiah and the coming of the Messiah. At this point, John the Baptist (whom we read about last week) has been arrested and is in prison. His imprisonment was the spark for Jesus’ ministry (although things were set in motion when He performed the miracle at the wedding at Cana, John 2:4). “When he heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew to Galilee. ... Galilee of the Gentiles.” This was to fulfill the prophesy of Isaiah, “the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” (Matthew 4:12, 16-17)

Jesus is the Light of the World (John 8:12), the Messiah to Whom Isaiah is referring. “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.” (John 3:19-21)

John sent some of his followers to ask Jesus directly if He was the Messiah. Jesus tells John’s followers to relate what they see, that His deeds reflect the words of Isaiah about the Messiah. "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”

Jesus goes on to extoll John to His followers. “Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, ... [did you] go to see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist ...” (The prophecy in italics is from Malachi 3:1.)

The Advent wreath with which we decorate our churches and homes at this time of year is representative of the light coming into the world. The Good News is that salvation has come. This is the “glad tidings to the poor” mentioned in the gospel acclamation. And we aren’t just talking of their financial status; we are talking about those who are poor in spirit. We have seen a decline in church attendance and in the spiritual condition of the nation. As a nation we have a spiritual deficit. And we aren’t as bad as other parts of the world, Europe for example where the Church is being erased.

The glad tidings are that Jesus is waiting for us to acknowledge Him and His promise of salvation. All we have to do is open our hearts and minds and ask Him. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20) We need to stop living in darkness. We need to stop calling evil good and good evil. We, the People have that power. It is part of our free will. It is a choice that we make. It is time to come out of the darkness into the light.

“Your life only makes sense in the light of the Lord.” Deacon Adrian Marchi, homily, 7 May 2023