PASSPORT TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD! ~ CookingFood.Org

“SEEDS OF LIFE”

Sunday, 11th December 2016.

Third Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 35:1-6, 10;

Psalm 145:6-10;

James 5:7-10;

Matthew 11:2-11.

PASSPORT TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

The third Sunday of Advent is known as “Gaudete Sunday” or “Rejoice Sunday”. This is because the entrance antiphon of the Mass, calls out: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:4-5). The word is Gaudete is the latin word for ‘Rejoice’. Advent, being the season of preparing for the arrival of the Lord Jesus (both his first coming and his second coming), and by the third Sunday of Advent, we are halfway through the season, and thus it is appropriate to rejoice as we see the goal of the season approaching: “The Lord is near.”

The first reading from Prophet Isaiah opens with a prophecy that the desert region will rejoice and sing and bloom with abundant flowers. The reason for this is: “They will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.” The reading then goes on to build strength and courage for: Our God, who comes with vindication, with divine recompense comes to save us. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. And 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.

The second reading from the Letter of James 5:7-10 exhorts to be patient until the coming of the Lord. James compares the needed patience with to that of a farmer, who must wait until his crop “receives the early and the late rains”. He exhorts us to strength and courage, to “not lose heart for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

The Gospel according to Matthew has two parts. In the first, John the Baptist, who is in prison, sends messengers to Jesus to ask “Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?”Jesus replies by telling them to report to John what they have seen: 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. He adds, and blessed is the one who takes no offense at me. In the second part of the reading, as the messengers are preparing to leave, Jesus pays tribute to John the Baptist by asking the crowd a series of rhetorical questions about why they went out into the desert to see John when he was ministering. Jesus affirms that they did go out to see a prophet, “and more than a prophet.”He then identifies why John is more than a prophet: He is the fulfillment of Malachi 3:1, in which it is said: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. Finally, Jesus states: 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 of heaven is greater than he.”

The Jewish people in Jesus’ day had certain ideas about what the Messiah would be like and what he would do. It was common to envision him as an earthly king who would deliver Israel from the dominion of the hated Romans by violent revolution. John the Baptist may have shared some of this expectation, for even though he had received a revelation pointing to Jesus as the Lamb of God (John 1:30-34).Rather than lose faith or let his doubts eat away at him, John decided to confront the issue directly, and so he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if his understanding of the Messiah was correct. Jesus indicated that it was, pointing to the fact that he had been fulfilling the predicted miracles and the preaching of the good news proper to the Messianic age.

As John’s messengers are departing, Jesus pays tribute to their master, stating that he was a genuine prophet—and even more than that—he was the messenger prophesied in Malachi, who would be the herald of the Messiah. This makes him the greatest prophet of all, which is why Jesus says that among those born of women, none has been greater than John. Despite this, Jesus states that “the least in the kingdom of heaven” is even greater. In this context, the kingdom of heaven is understood in its earthly manifestation as the Church, in the Christian age, which John did not live to see. Every Christian—man, woman, and child—is more blessed than John because we didn’t just get to herald him. We get to live in the age he inaugurated, to share in its many blessings, and to be part of his mystical Body.

Is it not a joy and privilege to be part of the Kingdom of Jesus, the Messiah? Are we not blessed to share in the blessings of being part of Jesus’ mystical body? Yes, we are. However in our regular life, we realize our weaknesses, we are people inclined for sin rather than glory, for sadness rather than joy. The burden of sin and lack of commitment to God fills us with sadness. Today’s liturgy however fills us with courage and strength that the day of the Lord is near. Hence we are called to move to repentance and reconciliation, especially by making a good confession. Let us reflect upon the purification to which God may be calling us. What is it that hold on to us that Jesus wants you free of? Commit yourself to the purifying fire of God’s love and let that love cleanse you on this ‘Guadete Sunday’ and the Advent season.

Prayer: Lord, I do long to have my soul purified by You. I do desire holiness of life. Help me to begin this process here and now so that I can begin to experience the joy and freedom You have in store for me. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen