Third Sunday of Advent

12-16-2018Weekly Reflection©2018 Liturgical Publications, Inc.

In Christianity, we hear often about the "Good News." We might often associate it with Jesus' compassion to the poor, his healings and miracles, and the salvation he won for us. In today's Gospel, we read of John the Baptist. "Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people." Yet as we examine the rest of the reading, we see examples of John's preaching. If you have two cloaks, give one away. Don't cheat others out of their money, extort, or lie. And, of course, the warning that the Messiah is on the move and "his winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Merry Christmas?

Not only do John's listeners enjoy his message, but they seem to think he might be the awaited Messiah! To understand today's Gospel, it's important to understand the Jewish people. For most of their history, God's chosen people had been under someone else's heel. They were slaves in Egypt. Their kingdoms were ravaged first by the Assyrians, then the Babylonians. Now they were under the yoke of the Roman Empire. Familiar with being strangers in a strange land, welcoming the stranger, caring for the vulnerable, and enacting justice was incredibly important to them as a people. While John's words may seem odd or strong to our modern ears, this call to justice was welcome, even if it was directed at the hearer.

The truth is, no one is exempt from John's call to repentance. We all have further to go in the Christian life. We can all grow in virtue and love our neighbors more generously. The Church gives us the Advent season to examine our own hearts. Did any of John's warnings resonate with you? That could be a great thing to bring to Jesus this week!

Tercera Semana de Adviento

La salvación que Dios anuncia en este tercer domingo de Adviento trae consigo una profunda alegría. Las lecturas de hoy son clave para profundizar en lo que es la alegría de Dios. Es el domingo de alegría. En latín, "Gaudete," cuyo significado es "alégrensé". El profeta Sofonías lo dice así: ¡Grita de gozo, oh hija de Sión,... Regocíjate y que tu corazón esté de fiesta! (Sofonías 3:14). San Pablo lo describe con inmenso gozo de la siguiente manera: "Estén siempre alegres en el Señor; se los repito, estén alegres y tengan buen trato con todos" (Filipenses 4:4). La repetición que hace Pablo hace énfasis en esa alegría que da la paz de Dios, a pesar de los acontecimientos contrarios a lo que vivimos.

¿A dónde debo llevar la alegría que Dios me da? ¿Cómo podemos recuperar la alegría en este Adviento tan comercializado? El Evangelio nos da la respuesta; el Bautista exhorta a la conversión, y sin esa conversión, no puede existir la alegría que es el fruto de las buenas obras. Todos debemos de compartir con los más necesitados: ropa, comida y nuestros bienes, pero, sobre todo, dar la bienvenida al extranjero y al refugiado. ¡Ahora es el tiempo! Ayúdanos Señor a abrir nuestros corazones a las necesidades de otros. Cambia nuestros corazones de piedra por unos más humanos. Que con tu gracia sepamos hacer lo que está bien. Martin Luther King decía: "Siempre es el momento apropiado para hacer lo que es correcto". ¡Ven Señor, ayúdanos a dar alegría y esperanza en todo momento!