Choose to Rejoice: 3rd Sunday of Advent

3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT: GOSPEL

Matthew 11:2-11

 'A greater than John the Baptist has never been seen'. John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’. Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’ As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says: ‘Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare your way before you.’ ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’

GOSPEL REFLECTION - by Jade Broadley

I love John’s determination in this Gospel. There he is, imprisoned, soul-searching, and still waiting in hope for his Saviour to come. He has gained his own followers over the years and many have looked to him to pave the way and give them a reason to hope. But he knows that there is someone greater than himself out there, someone who he recognized even as a baby in the womb, when Mary visited his mother Elizabeth.

This third Sunday of Advent tells us ‘Gaudéte, rejoice!’ because, as John discovered from his disciple’s reports, the Lord is near and He is doing amazing things! Imagine John’s excitement when his friends returned from their mission with the news of what Jesus is doing: the blind can now see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and THE DEAD ARE RAISED TO LIFE. WHAT.

I don’t know about you but often I find myself thinking that when certain things are worked out - when I have a house, a husband, my 2 perfect children, have won the lottery and I’m fully healed, then I’ll really be able to rejoice! Isn’t it so easy to fall into this lie? All. Of. The. Time.

Henri Nouwen (my top guy of 2019) says in contrast that joy is “the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing - sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death - can take that love away.”

John’s example from today’s Gospel, of waiting in expectant hope and rejoicing in the coming of our saviour motivates me to do the same, before things are perfect (or in order as I’d like them to be!) The reality of this Season is that God chose to be born into the mess of this world, into a stable to a teenage mother in less than perfect circumstances. He chose to love, and in response we choose to rejoice!

Nouwen, reflecting back upon his life said “I remember the most painful times of my life as times in which I became aware of a spiritual reality much larger than myself, a reality that allowed me to live the pain with hope ... Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”

May today be a day where we choose to rejoice as we remember that the Lord is near!