3rd Sunday of Advent
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Category: Homilies for 2013
Published on Sunday, 15 December 2013 13:11
Written by Fr. Rick Spicer
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If something is impersonal or distant, we have little trouble believing what we are told or read. For example, most of us accept the notion that there are over 3 billion stars in the universe. But if you saw a bench with a sign, “wet paint,” how likely are you to see for yourself if the paint is still wet? Sometimes we want proof while other times we act on faith. How we relate to Jesus depends on the depth of our faith. We can’t touch him or speak with him like we can with our friends, yet for people of faith, Jesus is very real.
Isaiah speaks of them when he proclaims, “Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.”
In the gospel, Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women, there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom will be greater than he.”By virtue of our baptism Jesus expects us to be even greater than John the Baptist. Empowered by his good news, we can make this world a better place, healed of division and conflict, when we allow God to truly transform us.
Baptism was the start of our faith journey but our eternal destiny is not sealed until we cross the threshold of death. Our relationship with God will often be tested, much like our other relationships are tested from time to time. Keeping our relationship with Jesus alive demands perseverance on our part, taking no offense in him, especially when we are disillusioned because things aren’t what we want them to be.
Even John the Baptist had his disillusioning moments. Sitting in a prison cell, he began to wonder if his cousin, Jesus, was indeed the Messiah, so he sends his disciples to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”
Keep in mind, the Jewish people were anticipating a Messiah who would overthrow the Romans and restore Israel as a powerful kingdom. Jesus told John’s disciples, “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 knew that such a litany would not meet the expectations that some people had for a Messiah even though what he was doing resonated with Isaiah’s vision of what a Messiah would truly be.
John the Baptist may have been surprised by such a response. The fire that Jesus had come to light was the warm and gentle fire of God’s love, not the raging inferno of a judge threatening to render a harsh punishment that John had anticipated. We need to remember the last line Jesus said to John’s disciples, “Blest is the one who takes no offense at me.” Indeed, for they didn’t let false expectations blind them from grasping his wisdom, nor should we. When we begin to take offense at Jesus, we risk venturing down a slippery slope that will distance us from him.
In the midst of this penitential season, we call this Gaudete Sunday for we are being reminded that there is joy to be found when we seek to deepen our relationship with Jesus. The readings, which promise us restoration and new life, invite us to be filled with gladness even when all else seems to be desolate. Those who for whatever reason cannot believe that God can bless them with a life of peace, inner joy and love will find themselves left out in the cold, as the expression goes, and suggested by an anonymous poet, who wrote this parody of the Night Before Christmas.
“Twas the night before Christ came and all through the house, not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their bibles were lain on the shelf without care,
in hopes that Jesus would not come there.
The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap,
was watching late show while I took a nap.
When out of the east there rose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
threw open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The light of his face made me cover my head,
It was Jesus returning just like he said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw him in spite of myself.
In the book of life, which he held in his hand,
was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as he searched for my name,
when he said, “It’s not here!” my head hung in shame.
The people whose names had been written with love,
He gathered to take to his Father above.
With those who were ready, he rose without a sound,
while all the rest were left standing around.
I fell to my knees, but it was too late:
I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight.
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.
In the word of this poem, the meaning is clear,
the coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There’s only one life and when the last name is called,
we’ll find that the Bible was true after all.