Rejoice in and For His Presence!

 (Homily for the 3^rd Sunday of Advent Yr. C)

     Today’s readings center on joy, even the Entrance antiphon started with the universal invitation to rejoice. Little wonder, this third Sunday of Advent is known as the Sunday of joy (Gaudete Sunday). Rejoice is in the imperative, which means that the joy we are invited is not dependent on human conditions, the basis is a Person: Jesus. The joy that we are invited to have is not a subjective joy, that is sentimental and only manifested in form of excitement, rather it is an objective joy that is founded on realities that are joyous in themselves. We are exalted to rejoice today as a community of believers. It is God’s will that the story of man inundated with suffering and lamentations after the experience of sin be accompanied with the Good News of Joy. It is indeed, wonderful, for a people “living in darkness and in the shadow of death” to receive the promise and message of light and joy. Advent is not by any means a gloomy season, even though it has a penitential dimension, hinged on John the Baptist’s message of repentance. Advent is loaded with a crescendo of Joy and incessant invitation to rejoice, orchestrated by the Advent wreath, which starts with one lighted candle and ends with four candles.    

     Right from the beginning of the Incarnation event, joy has been the password with which to savor the density of this love story between God and humanity. At the event of the Annunciation, the angel said to Mary: “Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour” (Lk. 1:28), even John the Baptist exults of joy in the womb of Elizabeth, when Mary visited Elizabeth, already carrying Jesus in the womb, “Look, at the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy” (Lk. 1:44), and the angels announced to the Shepherds the birth of the Son of man as a message of great joy, “Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people” (Lk. 2:10). But today when we take a look at all the happenings in our society, ranging from human suffering, marginalization, violence, the presages of war, deprivation of freedom, hunger, forced immigration to the deadly pandemic ravaging the whole world. Indeed, in this existential context, the invitation to rejoice appears to be a strange one, because apparently there is no motive to be happy, there are many things that do not happen as we desire or imagine, we are sad and despondent. But today’s invitation is a special one. It is not a superficial joy, but an interior, spiritual and profound joy, motivated by hope and faith in the Messiah, who comes to transform us and change our ugly human situations.

     The first reading (Zeph. 3: 14-18) comes from the Prophecy of Zephaniah. As a matter of fact, in the whole of the three-year Sunday circle, this is the only occasion when a passage from the prophecy of Zephaniah is read. Be that as it may, we cannot but spend few words on this minor prophet. The prophetic activity of Zephaniah coincided with the beginning of Josiah’s reign around c. 640-630. There is a high probability that he was in Jerusalem and his prophecies revolve majorly on predictions of judgment. Indeed, it does appear that the passage we read today is from the only positive part. It is made up of an invitation psalm, addressed to Zion, inviting her to rejoice for her salvation is near. At the heart of this passage is the message of excited expectation for God’s intervention in human history and that situates it well into the context of Advent.

     Zephaniah reminded the elected people their mission and tried to instill in them hope and courage: “Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, o Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem” (v.14). And this joy is based on the conviction inherent in the prophecy of Zephaniah that the Lord is near.  “The king of Israel is in your midst, you shall fear evil no more” (v.15). So, the foundation of this joy is God’s presence in the midst of his people. He is in the midst of His people as an assurance of hope. For this, the prophet insisted “do not fear, o Zion; let not your hands grow weak” (v.16).  Once again, another reason for joy is according to what the prophet said that God loves you, and because He loves you, he chose you, and he wants to raise you up from your humiliation, he wants to renew and save you. For He says: “He will renew you in his love” (v.17). Likewise for each and every one of us, our profound motive for joy should be the conviction that God loves us. His love transforms and renews. Renew us O lord by, with and in your Love!

     In the responsorial psalm Prophet Isaiah (12) unites his voice to that of Zephaniah: “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation…Sing and shout for joy, O inhabitants of Zion”. The water that the Prophet is inviting the people to draw from God is water of joy and hope, that which quenches the thirst of the heart and not just the thirst of the throat. Today we depart from the usual practice of using the Psalms for the responsorial psalm; instead we have the first song of Isaiah. The song gives thanks for the divine salvation which was promised in the Old Testament and is now at the verge of fulfillment with the coming of the Messiah. This makes it fitting for the Advent season.

     In the second reading (Phil. 4:4-7) St Paul followed suit on the theme of Joy, and  extended the invitation to rejoice to the Christian community. The great commandment that was directed to the daughter of Zion is now directed to us: “Brethren: rejoice”. It is necessary and also interesting to know that when Paul was writing this letter he was in prison, therefore, he was not lacking hardship, afflictions and trials. However, he continues to invite all to rejoice. St. Paul further said: “Have no anxiety for anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (v.6). St. Paul invites the Philippians to rejoice not because they are immune to trials and hardship. We are to rejoice even in the midst of trials, because the presence and the closeness of God transform the trials to sources for and of joy and hope.

     This passage can be considered a little catechism of Christian joy, it begins with the invitation to “Rejoice”, and this joy is not to be mistaken for bubby joy or superficial excitement. In fact, going back to the words of the Apostle, he gives us an indication of how to rejoice. For we may ask, rejoice, how? He precisely says “in the Lord”. The basis of our joy is the Lord, the Veniente, not on exterior or material things. And again, rejoice, why? What is the reason of and for this joy? The reason is because “the Lord is near”, as St. Paul opined. With the birth of Jesus, God became very close to us in an unimaginable and unprecedented manner. He became one of us, our companion on our existential journey yet he transcends us. He does not abandon us, remember the episode of the disciples of Emmaus (cf. Lk. 24:13-32). Here, comes the third question, rejoice, when? St. Paul tells us “always”, not once in a while, not only when things are rosy, but he says always, for the Lord loves us always, “You took us and the Lord as your model, welcoming the word with the joy of the Holy Spirit in spite of great hardship” (1Th. 1:6). Joy has to be a state of mind of a Christian constantly and permanently, because Jesus wants us to have “fullness of his joy” (Jn. 17:13), and “your hearts will be full of joy, and that joy no one shall take from you” (Jn. 16:22). Jesus tells us “ask and you shall receive, so that your joy will be complete” (Jn. 16:24). It is prayer that helps us to find light in the moments of obscurity, serenity when the tempests of life roar. Prayer is the fount of joy, of serenity and of peace.

     In the Gospel passage (Lk. 3:10-18) we see the episode of John the Baptist’s preaching. The first part of this passage according to some exegetes is the Baptist’s preaching to various people, but to the crowd in general, the tax collectors, and the soldiers. The second part is Baptist’s messianic preaching. He disclaims out rightly that he is the Messiah. He pointed out to the coming of another, stronger than him, “He who is mightier than I”. Different from the Baptist who administers baptism with water, the Mighty One will baptize with Spirit and fire. Here, the self-effacing attitude of John the Baptist gleams through, he points to the Other. This self-effacing attitude of John should be exemplary for today’s preachers and prophets, they should learn to point men and women away from themselves to Christ. On the other hand, we cannot say with certainty that John had Jesus in mind when he was speaking of the Strong One. Most probably his conception of the Messiah was more judgmental than salvific, little wonder while in prison John sent envoys to ask Jesus, whether he is the one or they are to expect another (cf. Lk. 7:19).

     In the passage of today’s Gospel, St. Luke indicates something more concrete and more exigent in our preparation for the Lord’s coming. After hearing and listening to the preaching of John on repentance, different sets of people were propelled to ask questions on what they should do. To those who were asking John the Baptist: “What shall we do?” (v.10) to repent, to change their ways, he responded in a clear and distinct manner: ●To the multitude He said: “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food let him do likewise”. ●To the tax collectors: “Collect no more than is appointed you”. ●To Soldiers: “Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages”. May we too cue in and ask: what shall we do? What shall I do? God’s word always calls man to action, it is provocative.

     In all, there is no true joy without Christ, and one cannot welcome Christ if he remains a slave to his egoistic tendencies, individualism and insensitive to the needs of others. More than anything else, the period of Advent propels us to put in practice the demands of the Gospel, and to give witness of sharing, solidarity and moderation. Today, the word of God propels us to make resolutions for a better Christian life. We are called to rejoice, not egoistically, but together. The enemy of joy is not suffering, but egoism. We are not just called to rejoice, but our joy must be fruitful (as seen in the gospel). As we continue to wait for His Coming may the joy of the Lord be our strength (cf. Neh. 8:10). Lord Jesus, may your joy always radiate in us and may nothing on earth rob us of the joy that comes from you, Our Mighty Saviour! Amen!!

(Fr. Vitus M. C. Unegbu, SC)