HOMILY FOR THE 3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT SEASON, YEAR B (THE GAUDETE SUNDAY)
HOMILY FOR THE 3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT SEASON, YEAR B (THE GAUDETE SUNDAY)
THEME : There stands among you the one coming after me
BY: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA
READINGS OF THE DAY
Isaiah 61:1-2,10-11
Resp Ps Lk 1:46-50,53-54
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8,19-28
LITURGICAL COLOUR
PURPLE ROSE
INTRODUCTION
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate the Third Sunday of our Advent Season of the liturgical Calendar, Year B. This Sunday is also called the Gaudete Sunday, coming from the Latin words, “everyone rejoice!,” which are the opening words of the Entrance Antiphon at Mass this Sunday. Advent is half way over and there is a theme this day of not being discouraged or afraid, even amidst the setbacks, disappointments, and difficulties of this life.
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FROM OUR FIRST READING
In our first reading today, the Prophet Isaiah announces the mission he had received from God, that is, to proclaim the good news of liberation for God’s people. “The Spirit of the Lord” rested upon the prophet, we are told, indicating that God’s power had been given to the prophet to direct and strengthen him as God’s spokesman. The Advent message is likewise centered on liberation of the human race by the coming of Jesus Christ. In the synagogue of Nazareth, as Jesus began his public ministry, he read aloud and commented on the same text of Isaiah that we hear we hear in our first reading regarding being anointed by God and announcing a very specific message: good tidings to those estranged from God, intended for all who “labor and are heavy burdened,” who can find rest in God alone.
FROM OUR SECOND READING
In our second reading today, we hear Saint Paul advising the Thessalonians with three main points: always be joyful, never stop praying and be thankful in every circumstance of life. These essential attitudes need to be cultivated at all times, in order to replace the human tendencies toward preoccupation, anxiety and laziness. It is God’s grace which enables believers, and each of us, to live up to the call we have been given, in such a manner that, as Saint Paul expresses it, we may be found “blameless at the coming of the Lord.”
FROM TODAYS GOSPEL READING
The Gospel text for this Sunday contains two sections. The first is devoted to an introduction to the mission of the last of the prophets, Saint John the Baptist, and the second section is concerned with how John the Baptist witnesses to Christ, the Anointed Messiah. John Baptist completed the cycle begun by the prophet Elijah. Just as Elijah announced the arrival of God’s kingdom, John the Baptist was the first to proclaim God’s promise of the Redeemer Jesus Christ.
CONCLUSION
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, God calls each of us to become Christ-like; he calls us to grow up into his Son. John the Baptist knew that his calling was to make Christ known. That is also our calling – to make Christ known by allowing him to live in us. We live out that calling in a way that is unique to each of us. To the extent that our own unique lives witness to Christ, we become the person that God wants us to become, we become our true selves. Such a Christ-like person, in the words of the first reading, will bring good news to the poor, healing to the broken and freedom to the captives. These are some of the signs of the Christ-like person. We pray this Advent for the grace to be true to this our God-given identity.
Let us rejoice in the Lord, Happy Sunday.
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