3^rd Sunday of Advent, Year C (Gaudete Sunday): Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Be joyful; make others joyful too

Reading: Zeph. 3:14-18a; Phil. 4:4-7; Lk. 3:10-18

Dear friends in Christ, the liturgical name of this Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, is Gaudete Sunday, which means ‘Joyful Sunday.’ The term Gaudete comes from the Latin word “Gaudere,” meaning to rejoice, to be glad. Gaudete is the second person plural present active imperative  of Gaudere. Gaudete Sunday falls between eight to thirteen days before Christmas. This term “Gaudete” is taken from today’s Entrance Antiphon: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near” (Phil 4:4).

As we draw closer to Christmas, the Church invites us to rejoice because God is about to fulfil his promise to us; God is about to manifest His presence in our midst through His Son, Emmanuel, God is with us. However, the joyful mood of this Sunday does not mean we have come to the end of our preparation for Christmas. Instead, it comes as a way of urging us to be more focused and courageous. It is also a way of assuring us that our preparations shall soon be rewarded with the manifestation of Christ. Indeed, dear friends, Advent is a time of joyful expectation and eager preparation for Christmas.

The readings of today succinctly captured this festive mood of joy. They exhort us to be happy and joyful as we wait for the Lord’s coming. The first reading began this way: “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!” The psalm said: “Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.” The second reading started by saying: “Brothers and sisters, Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” And the Gospel said: ^“people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ.”

However, dear friends, taking a closer look at the present situation of our world, people may ask why we should rejoice. They may say, “what is there to rejoice for?” Some may say, “in the midst of the economic hardships and the wars that have ravaged many countries and made life difficult for many people, what is there to rejoice about?” Indeed, the world appears to be a theatre of new problems every day; each day comes with fresh troubles that no one knows when they will be solved.

The existential background of the first reading of today may have also raised questions and doubts in the mind of those who received the message of the prophet Zephaniah. The prophet Zephaniah prophesied between 640 and 609 BC. That time, Assyria was the dominant power and spread the worship of her gods throughout the Ancient Near East with military might; she was going from country to country, conquering nations and subjecting their people under her rule and religion. Already, Northern Israel had fallen under her power and the King of Assyria had sent a warning to Southern Israel, that is Judah, that her King and her God can’t save them.

It was in the midst of the fear of the Assyrian invasion - just as many of us are living in fear of the many forces of this world - that the prophet Zephaniah asked the people of Israel to rejoice and be glad. His reason was that their God was coming to participate in their history; He was coming to protect them from the forces of the Assyrians. This message is also directed to us today, dear friends, in our different worries and fears. The Church is telling us that our God is not far from us; He is near; He is already in our midst as the Emmanuel to participate in our history, to help us in our struggles.

The second reading of today also comes with another touching episode. When St. Paul wrote to the Philippians to rejoice, he was already in prison, covered with grief, facing maltreatment, and standing close to the date of his execution. In the midst of these sad stories that surrounded him, it was inner joy and the joyful expectation of meeting His Lord Jesus Christ that kept Paul strong. Joy in the Lord was the power that carried Paul through weaknesses, sorrows and difficulties. So, Paul could not but share this joy with his fellow Christians.

Dear friends, Paul teaches us that one of the ways to conquer the sorrows of this world is to focus on meeting Christ, an encounter that will erase the marks of the present suffering and hardship, for what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, is what God has prepared for those who love Him. Thus, if you are in difficulty, ask God to help you look beyond your immediate environment, so that you can discover the joyful presence of Christ. The joyful presence of Christ will help you to keep going where others are giving up.

To all of us who are joyfully waiting for the manifestation of Christ in our lives, John the Baptist has a challenge for us. In the gospel of today, John tells his audience and all of us not to allow our joyful mood to deprive other people of their own joy. In fact, he tells us to carry other people along as we rejoice. He challenges us to make those around us to feel our joyful mood. John called his audience in the gospel of today to be fair and just in their businesses and life affairs, so that other people around them will have a share of the joy of the Lord’s coming. He challenged them and us to put a stop to those actions which deprive others of their joy. To the tax collector, he said, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” To the soldiers, he said, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.”

It is obvious that the businesses of those John spoke to were depriving other people of their joy. Now, our question is this: is there anything I do which deprives other people of their God-given joy and happiness? Is it not true that to have a joyful Christmas, many business people hike the price of commodities in order to make excess gains for Christmas? Is it not true that during the Christmas season, transport fare jumps high? Is it not true that during Christmas season, robbery cases increase in many parts of our country? These and many more cases deprive many people of their joy. The remaining days of advent give us opportunities to amend our wicked ways.

John also challenges us to be generous to others.  He said, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” So, let us make other people partakers in our joy by sharing our gifts and food with them this Christmas. Let us seek out those who cannot have a worthy Christmas because of poverty and/or sickness and help them to have a reason to rejoice. 

Peace be with you.

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 3^RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: THE SECRET OF DIVINE JOY

(Luke 3:10-18)

Today is Gaudete Sunday. A Sunday when the Church bids us rejoice, when we listen to the voice of St. Paul telling us: Rejoice, I repeat Rejoice. 'Gaudete' is from the Latin root 'gaudere' meaning to rejoice. We are invited to be happy, to sing and shout in joy for the Holy One of Israel is in our midst.

This call to be happy may sound foolish, where there seems to be no reason to be happy. But the message is: Be happy in the midst of all circumstances because the Lord is in your midst. If God be for us, who can be against us? He comes as the Emmanuel to be with us, so we have reasons to rejoice. Let us, therefore, inquire today on what we need to do to be happy in the Lord.

 

COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL SEARCH FOR TRUE JOY

The soul of man is indeed hungry for a higher form of joy. In a world where many have resorted to different despicable things to be happy, in a society where drug abuse seem to serve as a way out of frustration and heartbreaks, in a situation where alcoholism, ritualism, drunkenness, harlotry are seen to be solutions to the instability and unhappiness ravaging the human person, God calls all and sundry to review the secret of true happiness, joy and peace.

In the Gospel of today we saw people who inquired to know the secret of joy in the Lord, how to find happiness in the Lord; they represent the people pictured by Psalm 4 with the following question in their mouth: what can bring us happiness? The above question was asked by many. In the Gospel of today, we see ALL the people asking a particular question: What do we do? This question was triggered by the frightening preaching of John the Baptist. Thanks be to God that the people wanted joy instead of the punishment due for their old lives. They decided to start producing the fruits of goodness. We are challenged to come as a people and address the forces stealing our collective joy, exposing us to massive pain, shame, sadness, and frustration. Let us also go as individuals to know what God wants us to do to really experience the joy He promised here and hereafter.

 

HERE IS THE MESSAGE

The word of God says: "I will hear what the Lord God has to say." The will of the Lord was revealed through John the Baptist, as He prepares the people to receive Christ defined as Joy to the world. He addresses us on the following:

 

BE CONTENTED

The Baptist's reply to them seem to show us why many of us are not happy. We are not happy because we are not satisfied with what God has made us to be; we would have loved to be like the other. We are not comfortable with what God has given us; We want to take that of another to make up. We are not happy with what God is doing in the life of the other; so we attack, frustrate, and destroy them. Joy comes from within. It is interesting that joy and contentment share the same root. To be happy is to be delighted by the lot marked out for you. Hence, the Psalmist declared: the lot marked out for me is my delight.

As an individual, you've got to rejoice for the lot marked out for you, the joy no force can take without your permission. Choose to be happy anyway.

Not minding what the circumstances around you are saying. The people in today's Gospel have been surrounded by threatening situations, but they chose to go for that, which attracts divine joy. You can't do without the joy that comes from the Lord. The joy of the Lord should be your strength. The enemy is never happy when you're happy. Be happy anyway.

 

QUIT EVIL HABITS

Jesus comes to do a new thing in our lives. He is coming as a newborn to renew our lives in His love.  We, too, have to do something for Him as He comes to do new things in us. We hand over to Him our old ways.

Let's like the groups of people in the Gospel today ask: What shall we do?

To those in the evil habit of stinginess, John said: Give, share, practice charity.

To the tax collectors in the evil habit of collecting more than expected, John insists: Stop collecting more than you should. Stop increasing prices in the name of Christmas. Stop causing heartbreaks. Do not steal the joy of others that yours may not be stolen.

To the soldiers and the police John says: Stop robbing and extorting!

Let's stop for God to begin. Let's stop evils in and around us for God to begin good in us. What's your own evil? My dearest in Christ, stop it. It will give you no true joy. Do the things that will lead you to joy everlasting.

DON'T BE WEIGHED DOWN

Family problems may have vowed to make you sad, Child of God, be glad. Hopelessness has forced you to believe that your joy is buried forever. It is not true. Rejoice!  Near success syndrome is convincing you to agree that you can never make it. Rejoice for by His Grace you can do all things.

Yes, rejoice for the coming of the Lord is nearer now.

MY PRAYER FOR YOU

The Lord is coming to give you joy. He is coming to bless You abundantly. He is coming to pleasantly surprise You and Your family. He comes to give you reasons to laugh again. Just be contented with what He has done for you and be rejoicing for what He is coming with. You're born to rejoice. May your joy as a person never be stolen. May your joy as a people never be hijacked. May God come to restore your family joy in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Rejoice in the Lord Alleluia.

Happy Gaudete Sunday

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 3^RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR C: HOMILY BY FR. JUSTIN ADIELE

THEME: “WHAT THEN SHALL WE DO?”

INTRODUCTION:

As we march rejoicing to the coming of the Christ at Christmas, we have to get our cards/acts right as many who came to John the Baptist today demanded for a clue. We all got to amend our ways no matter our work or status so that the coming of Christ would not bring us God’s condemnation, but God’s salvation.

 

THE FIRST READING (ZEPH. 3: 14 – 18)

In the first reading, we are called to start rejoicing already for our King is coming; to take away the judgments against us, to cast out our enemies, to take away our fears and weaknesses, to bring us victory and renewal in his love. This certainly calls for rejoicing. However, we must make sure that at the coming of our King, we do not make ourselves the enemies of ourselves, the enemies of our Christian brothers and sisters, or the enemies of God himself by our way of life.

 

THE SECOND READING (PHIL. 4: 4 – 7)

In the second reading again, St. Paul enjoined us to rejoice and quit every anxiety about anything. Many would increase their anxiety over so many things this period; trying to meet up one worldly target or the other and rob themselves of the joy of this season. Many would put themselves to overdrive this period trying to achieve what they were not able to achieve within eleven months in one month. Some would now become sad and forlorn, not because Christmas did not come, but because they were not able to meet their anxieties and vaulting ambitions.

 

THE GOSPEL READING (LK. 3: 10 – 18)

In the gospel reading, the multitudes which comprised of people of various social status (commons, soldiers, tax collectors, etc.) asked John the Baptist what they shall/must do to have a joyful Christmas. John the Baptist told many of them to simply share their goods (charity); collect no more than is due/appointed for them, rob no one by violence or by greed, and be content with your wages. The issue of contentment during the period of Christmas remains a matter of great concern for many. Many want to do more than themselves this period leading to more sorrows than joy.

 

CONCLUSION

What then shall we do to rejoice and attain joy at Christmas? Be contented, be charitable, be forgiving, and be clean in mind and actions. Little wonder all that came to John the Baptist this time accepted baptism or sanctification from their sinful past life. May we also purify ourselves this period, go for confessions, go for the sacraments and rightly await the coming of our Saviour King, Christ the Lord.

Happy Sunday!

Fr. Justin

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