TESTIMONY OF GREAT REJOICING
(John 1:6-8.19-28)
Today is the third Sunday of
Advent. Liturgically, it is known as the Gaudete Sunday. This Latin word is the
very first word of today's entrance antiphon drawn from the letter of St Paul
to the Philipians (4:4-5). In that antiphon, St Paul called upon the people in
the following words: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice. Indeed,
the Lord is near.
This is not a mere call, it is
not just an invitation, it is not an appeal. The word "gaudete" is a
command. It is not optional. It is a second person plural active imperative of
"gaudeo"- Rejoice.
As the celebration of the coming
of the Lord draws near, the Church encourages us to anticipate in joyful hope.
The tone of the expectation changes for good. The light can be seen, the night
is coming to an end. The labour time will soon be over, the favourable time is
at hand. Thus, the command to rejoice
and the expected response: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord..."
In this rejoicing, we are to live
prayerfully, giving thanks at all times, abstaining from evil and believing
that we have a faithful God who never fails. He will certainly decorate us with
reasons to rejoice. Let us mourn less and believe that the future is bright.
BECOMING A TESTIMONY OF
UNSPEAKABLE JOY
The Gospel of today tells us
about a certain man. His name is John. He is a man like us. He was human. He
lived in a world like ours.
But there was something
spectacular about him. He came for a purpose. He came for testimony, to bear
witness to the light, and that all might believe through him.
This is interesting. In a world of darkness, he stood bearing
testimony to the light. In a world crippled by hopelessness he proclaims the
message of hope. In a world where faces are covered with darkness, he releases
joy. In a society where people are hiding their faces in shame, he makes them
put their trust in the Lord who will not allow them to be put to shame. He was
never ashamed of the doing good and speaking good out. We are mandated to make
people believe in the joy of the Lord as the only source of our strength. In
what do you derive your own joy? Rejoice in the Lord is the command.
TESTIMONY OF JOY THAT ATTRACTS
QUESTIONS
The question asked today to John
the Baptist was: who are you?
This question must have been
triggered by the zeal and the unspeakable joy in the Lord, with which John
worked and lived his life.
His life started evoking wonder
among the people. They must have wondered that secret of his rejoicing. They
must have pondered on the reason behind his passion, conviction and actions.
When the Lord is the secret of
your joy people may ask you: who are you that even in the lockdown, protests,
strikes, non-payment of salaries and arrears you are still living well? Who are you that after the sickness,
heartbreak, misfortunes, distress and persecutions you refuse to give up, but
still thank God? Who are you that still puts on smile upon all you have been
through? Who are you that calmly tolerates insults, humiliations, lies against
you and yet move on with life?
People will certainly wonder
about the secret of your joy. O yes, they will. They wondered why he was happy
and working for the Lord even without food on his table. They couldn't believe
that he stood proudly without inferiority complex even while wearing rags.
These Jews who came inquiring
about John wore good regalia, but they saw a man who was rejoicing because the
Lord has clothed him with garments of salvation.
Is it possible to be this happy
without money, fame and other possessions? John's life testified: Yes, It is
possible! Then they thought he must be divine. But he confessed that He wasn't
Christ, nor Elijah nor any of the prophets.
He accepted only to be the voice
crying in the desert for all to prepare. Let us heed this voice and
repent. Let us heed the command of this
voice and remain joyful and enthusiastic about the Lord's coming.
ACCEPTING THE COMMAND TO
REJOICE
As we have noted, it is not
optional for us to rejoice. The Lord wants us compulsorily to be joyful in him.
To live in this joy, we've got to live positive and speak joy into our lives in
the following ways:
THE LORD HAS SAID IT, I MUST
REJOICE
This is not just a word to be
uttered carelessly but a disposition to be lived out convincingly. No one can
steal my joy. No situation can take away my love for God. Nothing will make me
lose focus of what am expecting from the Lord. Eternal life is my final end. I must overcome every force; human, satanic
or emotional saying the opposite of what God had said concerning my life.
I REFUSE TO BE UNHAPPY
As we are commanded to rejoice
the enemy of our joy commands otherwise. He commands us to be unhappy, to be
sad, to be frustrated, to cry. He wants us to get distracted, lose the joy of
the Lord's coming and focus on unnecessary things and side attractions. I
refuse to base my joy on the size of my bank account. I refuse to build my
happiness on what I will receive this period. I refuse to rejoice in
frivolities. I refuse to live fake life. I refuse to derive joy in makeups. I
refuse to carry my worries and sorrows on my face. I refuse to bear testimony
to life without peace. I refuse to live in sin. I refuse to joke with my prayer
life. I refuse to be afraid.
THE TESTIMONY
The Lord is my joy and my
salvation. The Lord's coming is near. When He comes I will not remain the same.
Am hopeful that things will get better. Am certain I shall not die. I must live
to testify the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Even when my
physical eye sees no reason to rejoice may I say with Habakkuk: "Even if
the fig tree doesn't blossom, and there are no grapes on the vines, even if the
olive harvest fails, and the fields produce no food, though the flock be lost
from the fold, and the herd be gone from the stalls, yet in Yahweh will I
rejoice, in God, my saviour, will I exult (Habakkuk 3:17-18).
Let the joy of the Lord drive you
on as you wait for the Lord's coming.
LET US PRAY
Thank You Lord for bidding me
rejoice. Thank you for the holy command for me to be glad in you no matter what
the enemy says. May I gladly, prayerfully and enthusiastically wait for your
coming in great joy. May I sustain the spirit of advent and enjoy fully the joy
of the incarnation of our Lord, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen
Happy Gaudete Sunday (Advent,
Week 3)
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
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