Third
Sunday of Advent – December 13, 2020
Christmas day, two
weeks away, is a time when we joyfully celebrate the birth of Christ. Something
of the joy of Christmas comes through in the prayers and readings of this Third
Sunday of Advent, a Sunday traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday – “Rejoice
Sunday”. In the first reading, the people of Israel exclaim, “I exult for joy
in the Lord, my soul rejoices in my God”. In the second reading, St. Paul calls
upon the Thessalonians, “Be happy at all times”.
This call to joy can
often fall on deaf ears. Most people look forward to Christmas, but there are
some people among us who will dread the thought of Christmas and are quite
relieved when it is over. Those who have recently lost a loved one will be
wondering how they will get through the first Christmas without the person with
whom they have shared Christmas for as long as they can remember. Those who are
struggling to make ends meet may be wondering if their finances will meet the
challenge of the extra expenses. People who are living alone and who find life
a lonely experience at the best of times will feel even more lonely during the
Christmas holiday. The pandemic restrictions for gatherings and travelling
might dampen our joy.
Nevertheless, the
call to joy may have something to say to those who find it hard to get into a
joyful mood. Indeed, it has something to say to all of us about where true joy
is to be found. When Paul calls on the Thessalonians to be happy at all times,
or to rejoice always, he was aware that life was not a bed of roses for them.
Earlier in the letter he wrote, “When we were with you, we told you beforehand
that we were to suffer affliction – and it has come to pass, as you know.”
Elsewhere in the letter, it is mentioned that some members of the community had
recently died and there was a great deal of grief among them. Yet, to this
community that was suffering affliction and loss, Paul could say, “Rejoice
always”.
Paul also called on
them “to pray constantly” and “to give thanks in all circumstances.”
Unfortunately, some translations say, “for
all things give thanks”. Paul does not say, “give thanks for all things”, but “give thanks in all things, in all
circumstances”. Many things can happen to us for which we cannot give thanks
because they do not correspond to God’s will for our lives. However, Paul would
say that no matter what happens to us, we can always give thanks in the midst of it. We may be struggling
in various ways, but as Christians we never cease giving thanks. God has
blessed us in Christ. That is the good news even when we are suffering the pain
of loss, even when we are afflicted in one way or another.
When we come to Mass,
we come to give thanks. Eucharist means thanksgiving. We come to give thanks
even if the situation from which we come is far from satisfactory. We come to
Mass to give thanks because we know that, in the words of John the Baptist,
“there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me”.
John announces that the Word who became flesh stands with us. Standing suggests
strength. We stand when we are strong; when we are weak, we sit or lie down.
The Lord stands among us in the strength of his risen life, as one whose
strength supports us in our weakness. Paul can call on us to rejoice always and
to give thanks in all circumstances
because the Lord is always standing alongside us.
Today’s readings call
on us to enter into the joy which is the fruit of our faith. Entering into that
joy will often require a conscious effort on our part. We may need to make
choices to let go of negative thoughts that pull us down; we can decide to make
it a point every day to be grateful for something good in our lives, for some
way that the Lord has blessed us and continues to bless us. We discover the joy
of our faith when we live our faith, when we love each other as God has loved
us in Christ.
Psalm 118 ask us to
rejoice: “This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad
in it.” Yes, let us rejoice on Christmas Day and every day because God is
always standing alongside of us.
Fr. Don, C.P.