HOMILY FOR THE 3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT [YEAR B]

HOMILY FOR THE 3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT [YEAR B]

THEME: Being a witness to the coming of CHRIST

BY: Rev. Sr Justine Oluchi Egbedike

HOMILY: SCRIPTURAL TEXT: lsaiah 61:1-2a,10-11, RESPONSORIAL PSALM  Luke 1:46-48.49-50.53-54 (R. Is 61: 10b), 1Thessalonians 5:16-24, John 1:6-8.19-28

” l am not the CHRIST”. But who are you?

Child of God, do you know that being a true Christian, a true witness brings Joy to all things ?

John was a witness , and as the only voice, cried in the desert which brought joy and warmth to the world. This made Christ to say to the Crowd in ( Matthew 11:11-15) that ” among those born of women, there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist” .

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Now Let us listen to the full Gospel ( John 1:6-8, 19-28):
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” And he answered, “No.”   They said to him then, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Then why are you baptising, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptise with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know, even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” This took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptising.

From the above Gospel we can understand that our individual and common mission is to bear witness to Christ, in simplicity of life.
You and me don’t need to become Elijah or a prophet to talk about Christ.
The testimony and example of life we are living now with others, should preach Christ.
We are all created by God to become John wherever we are. Be it in the market place, at school, the office, etc.
We must be the new voice that heralds the coming of Jesus today.

As we enter into the ” Gaudate Sunday” the Sunday of JOY, let us go and bear witness to the Word Incarnate, Jesus, who has the power to Baptize us with the HOLY SPIRIT.

I pray with words of ( lsaiah 61:1-2a,10-11) that God will anoint us with His Holy Spirit, so that we will bring good tidings to the afflicted, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. May God clothe us once again with the GARMENT of Salvation, so that we will rejoice. May he cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

May God help us to shun evil and spread the JOY of Christ’s coming to the ends of the earth. Amen.

Happy third Sunday of everlasting JOY and new week ahead.

Praying for you always.

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