Third Sunday of Advent

Today's Mass Readings

Today is Gaudete Sunday. This is the traditional title for the third Sunday of Advent, drawn from the first word of the entrance antiphon in the Latin original and in the present English translation: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near” (Phil 4:4-5). We are encouraged to rejoice today because the coming of Christ is near at hand. In fact, two weeks from today is Christmas! We celebrate with joy the three-fold coming of Christ: in history, in mystery, and in glory.

The gospel from St. Matthew (11:2-11) affirms Jesus’ coming in history as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promise of a Messiah. From his prison cell, John the Baptist sends messengers to Jesus to ask if he is the “one who is to come.” Jesus’ reply is a statement showing the realization of the passage from Isaiah used as our first reading today: “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 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.” (See Isaiah 35:5-6). John is the messenger who was sent ahead to prepare the way for this long-awaited Savior.

In the second reading from the Letter of St. James (5:7-10), we hear of the patience required of us as we await Christ’s coming, not only at some distant time in the future, but even now, in his coming in mystery into our hearts. St. James speaks with a sense of urgency when he says that we must “Make our hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand…Behold the Judge is standing at the gates.” It is in the quiet of prayer and contemplation that we taste, even now, of the “precious fruit” that we will enjoy in its fullness in the Kingdom that is to come.

Christ’s final coming in glory is alluded to in Isaiah’s beautiful eschatological painting of a New Eden found in our first reading. “The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom… they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.” We cannot help but think of the New and Eternal Jerusalem when we hear the prophet proclaim: “Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness.”

The responsorial refrain from Isaiah 35:4 is both our fervent prayer for and acclamation of belief in that final coming of Christ: “Lord, come and save us.” The communion antiphon, also from Isaiah 35, expresses a note of joy and encouragement as we patiently await the fulfillment of God’s promise: “Say to the faint of heart: Be strong and do not fear. Behold, our God will come, and he will save us.”

Prayer for today: God our Savior, you have redeemed us by sending us your Only Begotten Son, who was born for us, died for us, and raised up to eternal glory. May He enter our hearts each day, filling us with strength and hope as we patiently await his final coming in glory and our entrance into His everlasting Kingdom. This we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Reflection by Br. Michael Marcotte, OSB