Salvation is at Hand: 3rd Sunday of Advent
EMMANUEL OSB SERMONS – THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT – YEAR A
SERMON AND CHRISTIAN ACT IN THE WORD
Theme: “Salvation is at Hand! Salvation is Beyond Complaint” “Gaudete Sunday”
Point of Reflection: The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for “rejoice,” marking a shift in the penitential Advent season to a time of expectant joy as Christmas approaches, symbolised by wearing rose-coloured vestments and lighting the pink candle on the Advent wreath.
John, who baptised Jesus, and the heavens opened and said, “This is my beloved son, listen to him. Why did John have to ask again if Jesus was the promised messiah? “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.”Perhaps John asked because he wanted us to believe that salvation is here, never doubt. The answer of Jesus tells it all: salvation is at hand!
Amidst calamities and problems we encounter each day, as John was in prison and wanted surety from Jesus, it is the same with our Christian life; sometimes, we doubt, we question, we need surety. Jesus is our saviour, salvation is at hand, and it is beyond complaint.
First Reading: Isaiah 35:1–6, 10
Psalm: Psalm 146:6–10
Second Reading: James 5:7–10
Gospel: Matthew 11:2–11
Sermon (Reflection): The liturgy of the third Sunday of Advent proclaims that God is supremely committed to his salvific work. Starting with Isaiah, the emphasis rests on God as Saviour who will restore his creation and his people to the state of security and well-being. Matthew reveals that Jesus is God’s agent of salvation. Because of what Jesus has accomplished, his followers can live with a firm assurance of the great dignity that has been bestowed on them, and of the even greater future that awaits them. Hence, salvation is beyond complaints. In the scriptural readings of today, we encounter complaints and how God dealt with them.
In the first reading of today, Isaiah of Jerusalem had every reason to complain. Living in the latter part of the 7th century BC, the prophet saw his country ravaged by wars with the mighty Assyria, its population impoverished and enslaved, its Temple desecrated, its national hopes shattered and buried under the yoke of oppression. Engrossed in this troubled reality, the prophet raises his eyes beyond and above this misery and contemplates the religious tradition of Israel, which directs his attention to a different reality, that of God’s salvation, which he then poetically describes. First, Isaiah envisions that deserts and dry wilderness (Arabah) blossom.
This is the regeneration of life through the blessing of rain, which God sends upon the arid land. Creation rejoices and celebrates the glory and splendour of the life-giver. Isaiah then calls on people to take notice of this restoration, be reassured and “do not fear”. Since God restores the desolate lands, how much more will he restore his people? Next, the prophet speaks of four infirmities which affect the people’s eyes, ears, legs, and tongues. In the context of the day, such afflictions would normally be perceived as resulting from wrongdoings committed by a person. Nonetheless, Isaiah states that even such defects of human nature will be remedied by God. As Christians, let us open our hearts so that God heals us and restores us.
In the second reading of today, the early Christians had every reason to complain. The Letter of James is attributed to James the Elder, called “the brother of the Lord”, who was martyred in 62 AD. Conflict, adversity, persecution and martyrdom were a common experience for the early Christians. To compound the problem, those early believers ardently waited for the parousia, that is, the return of Jesus as the glorified Lord to earth. They expected this return to occur within their lifetime.
As years went by, they came to realise that Jesus was not going to return soon. Unfulfilled hopes and expectations easily lead to discouragement, which, in turn, leads to complaints and, eventually, conflict. James sought to save those he was addressing from these negative experiences. He warned Christians against falling into the trap of complaining about one another and judging others. Such attitudes destroy the unity in the community and bring judgment upon the very person who causes disagreements. He also makes a positive exhortation pointing to the attitudes which Christians should nourish, the chief of which is patience. Christian patience might be likened to that of a farmer waiting for harvest.
The farmer trusts God to provide what is necessary at the right time and to secure his well-being. James follows with an example of the prophets who frequently spoke in the context of hardship, persecution, and hopelessness. In the midst of those unfavourable circumstances, they still faithfully delivered their message. Christians are called to imitate them through that patient endurance with which they need to wait for God’s salvific intervention, which, despite all uncertainties, is sure to come because God does not fail to deliver on his promises.
John the Baptist in the gospel of today also had reasons to complain. He had surely heard about the deeds of Jesus. Those deeds, as Jesus himself said, fulfilled the messianic prophecies of Isaiah, which we heard about in the first reading. Indeed, Jesus went beyond these prophecies, raising the dead and proclaiming the good news to the poor. It might well be that John, when posing the question to Jesus as to whether he is the awaited Messiah, had another prophetic oracle in mind found in Isaiah 61:1. In this oracle, Isaiah indicated that the Messiah will bring about “the release of the captives.” Yet here he was, John, still languishing in prison, with no signs or hope for release. Perhaps addressing this unfulfilled hope of John, Jesus spoke about the blessedness of those who “take no offence” at him. Saying this, Jesus implied that John must accept the Messiah on his own terms.
The Messiah came to accomplish his purposes, not necessarily to cater to the hopes and needs of every individual, even those which were justified. These words directed to John were also addressed to the people of Jesus’ generation who expected the Messiah to be a Royal Davidic king who would restore the earthly kingdom of Israel. Many of the contemporaries of Jesus were scandalised by him and his way of establishing God’s kingdom, namely by dying on the cross and opening the gates of the kingdom to all peoples. According to popular imagination, this was certainly not what the Messiah was supposed to do.
The Gospel passage continues with the highest praise that any individual in the New Testament received as Jesus praised John for his integrity and loyalty. As Christians, are we loyal to the Lord? John was a prophet and God’s messenger who fulfilled the prophecies of Malachi (3:1). In fact, he was the greatest human being ever born! Yet, his greatness as a human being and as the last of the OT prophets is surpassed by those who are privileged to be members of God’s kingdom. In this passage, Matthew wanted to highlight the great privilege and infinite dignity that Christians enjoy because of what Jesus had accomplished for them. Because of that grace, the followers of Jesus stand above, but not apart from, all who preceded them, including the Old Testament prophets.
Christian Act in Word of God: “Salvation is at hand, let us not complain”
Sometimes we have good reasons to complain, sometimes we do not. It seems that complaining is an integral part of human nature and our human condition. One dictionary defines complaining as an expression of dissatisfaction, pain, grief, misfortune that leads to a wide range of feelings such as anger, impatience, rage and at times violence. Many businesses have a “complaints desk” where customers voice their dissatisfaction with products or services rendered. Do we have a complaint desk in front of God?
In some cases, complaining is necessary to bring to the notice of authorities violations of the rights of individuals and communities, or simply to point out things that are done wrongly. Even in our relationships, complaints have a role in alerting others to things done or said that hurt us or have a negative impact on our lives. In politics, particularly after elections, parties complain about the results, with such complaints often leading to violence. In places of employment, employees also complain about unfair labour practices or poor wages. Thus, complaining has moved from being a “human thing” to a human rights issue. We have a right to complain and expect appeasement in response to our grievances. Such understanding of complaining certainly has its place, and we have seen some good come out of it. However, as in the case of conflict and violence that complaints cause, some negative results can also come.
Without faith in God’s love and purpose, in his faithfulness and wisdom, complaints and disillusionment with life can lead to a loss of faith, bitterness, anger and actions that are detrimental to us. Patience is a virtue that is associated with faith and hope. Notice that the Psalms teach us that we may complain, but we bring our complaints to God as John the Baptist did. It is there that we hear words of hope. Such an attitude comes from the virtue of patience and faith, which leads us to look at our life, plans and desires in a different way. As we wait for the coming of the messiah, let us clean our hearts.
Action: I will go beyond my sufferings and complaints of the day and embrace the Lor
Prayer: Almighty God, grant us the spirit to accept salvation and go beyond our sufferings and embrace Jesus Christ, the saviour. Salvation is at hand, clean our hearts to receive the Lord on Christmas day, we ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
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