Bible READINGS
Is 61:1-2s,
10-11; // I Thes 5:16-24 // Jn 1:6-8, 19-28
In
1977 when I was assigned in our religious community in Cebu City in
the Philippine, I read an article about a Catholic nun working among the poorest
of the poorest in the slums of Calcutta. Her name was Mother Theresa. I was
fascinated by her personal dedication and exemplary lifestyle. I was awed by
her unconditional love and service for the poor. One day it was announced that
this remarkable missionary of charity would be in the city to give a talk at a
local orphanage. I wanted to see her in person. And so I went to the orphanage
to get a glimpse of this enigmatic heroine. I was one of the early comers and
to my pleasant surprise, Mother Theresa was at the lobby greeting the guests.
When I approached her, she looked kindly into my eyes as I timidly extended my
hand to her for a handshake. As I shook hands with her, there was warmth and
goodness radiating from her. Her wrinkled face exuded inner beauty, serenity
and profound joy. And when she gave her personal testimony with a limpid and
captivating voice that touched the hearts of us all, I perceived what it means
to be anointed by the Spirit of the Lord for the mission of bringing glad
tidings to the poor. Mother Theresa of Calcutta who received the Nobel Prize
for Peace in 1981, is a living example of one who has truly lived the Good News
and bore witness to her joy in the Lord. On this Third Sunday of Advent, which is
traditionally known as the Gaudete Sunday or "Sunday
of Rejoicing", the tone of joy pervades the
liturgical celebration of the Church. According to the late Benedictine liturgy
professor, Adrian Nocent, "the new element on this Third Sunday, the element
that gives the day its special tone, is the
JOY that fills
him/her who has been sent to proclaim salvation." In the reading from Third Isaiah, the joy-giving
mission of the Messiah is depicted with lyrical beauty and poetry: "The spirit
of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to
bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty
to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from
the Lord and a day of vindication by our God" (Is 61:1-2). The Christian
tradition has seen in this prophetic passage the figure of the Messiah long
expected, Jesus the anointed One. The prophetic passage delineates, moreover,
in terms of nuptial imagery, the salvific experience and joy that would result
from the messianic intervention of the consecrated one: "I rejoice heartily in
the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of
salvation and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adorned with
a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels" (Is 61:10-11). The bride
Jerusalem celebrates the fulfillment of love between herself and Yahweh, and
this fruitful love is expressed poetically as the earth bringing forth its
plants and a garden with its fresh growth. The recipients of the messianic
mission are the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, the prisoners and those
who mourn. The first, the poor or the anawim, encapsulates all the
others. The anawim are people bowed down in helplessness and dire need,
acknowledging the benevolent kindness of Yahweh whose help they humbly seek and
await. The salvific intervention of God in their behalf through the prophetic,
healing, liberating and consoling mission of the spirit-filled Messiah results
in abounding joy and exultation. Mary of Nazareth, the privileged representative of
the anawim and of the church, expresses her joy and exultation in a
canticle of praise, a fascinating tapestry of biblical memories of God's
predilection for his chosen people. Mary's canticle becomes the canticle of the
church, the new people of Israel and the beloved Bride of Christ, the Servant of
Yahweh. The singing of the Magnificat on Gaudete Sunday reinforces the
character of joy that the church receives as a gift from the anointing spirit of
Jesus. Indeed, the Church of the poor - the anawim Church, is anointed
by the Spirit of the Lord. The anointing and creative Spirit nourishes its
desire for newness and holiness of life. The life-giving Spirit thus enables
the community of believers to "be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ" (I Thes 5:23). The Church is therefore never to quench the Spirit
outpoured on the Christian believers in the sacraments, which are signs of
Christ's paschal mystery. Moreover, the Church in Advent expectation for the
definitive coming of the Lord Jesus on the last day is a Eucharistic Church full
of praise and thanksgiving. Since it is totally receptive to the action of the
Holy Spirit and gifts, including the gift of joy, the Church can rejoice in the
Lord always. The Gospel passage (Jn 1:6-8, 19-28) read in
today's liturgy is a composite text taken from the Prologue of St. John (Jn
1:6-8) and the section depicting the first week of the messianic ministry in
which the identity of Jesus is gradually revealed (Jn 1:19-2:11). John the
Baptist, described by the evangelist as sent by God, is presented as an
instrument of messianic revelation and as a witness of the true light, Jesus
Christ. As forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist is the precursor of
joy. Indeed, in his ministry of preparing the way of the Lord, he experiences
the selfless joy of the bridegroom's friend, as may be gleaned from the
following affirmation: "I myself am not the Christ. I am the one who has been
sent in front of him. The bride is only for the bridegroom, and yet the
bridegroom's friend, who stands there and listens, is glad when he hears the
bridegroom's voice. The same JOY
I feel, and now it is complete." Cf. Jn 3:28-29. John the Baptist, in his
ministry as the Messiah's precursor participates in the nuptial joy of Christ
and his bride, the Church.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE
HEART How do we enflesh the Eucharistic character and the joy-bearing mission of
the church today? How do we witness to the world that the Messiah, anointed by the Spirit of
the Lord to bring glad tidings to the poor, is already with us and at work in
us? How do we share with others the nuptial joy of Christ and his Body, the
Church?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD
The following sacred text is a
living word to nourish us through the week. Please memorize it.
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION
ACTION PLAN A:
"Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks...”
List three events in your life that have
brought joy. Pray and give thanks to the Lord for these.
ACTION PLAN B:
"He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor...”
List three
categories of people that direly need the glad tidings of our Lord Jesus.
Pray in a special way that the Lord may give you the grace to share the Gospel
with them.
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website:
WWW.PDDM.US
Third
Sunday of Advent, Year B