What Should We Do?

Homily from Advent's Third Sunday (Cycle C)
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“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice, for indeed, the Lord is near.” This is what St. Paul wrote to the Philippians, and this is what is announced as we celebrate this Third Sunday of Advent. For these past two weeks of Advent, we have quietly proclaimed the Lord’s Coming. Today offers us the opportunity to worship with JOY, for now the Lord is near.

Joy is a gift from the Lord, who is our first and greatest gift, and the only one that will never tarnish or break or fade. “Gow-DAY-tay,” the Latin word for rejoice, reminds us that while the gift has not yet arrived, it is very near. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again, rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” In happy times during our Advent journey, this third Sunday is a moment to stop and reflect on the source of true joy; that is, as Paul tells us, “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding…” But if the Advent season has brought causes for stress and sorrow into your life, then lighting this pink candle is an opportunity to take heart and refocus on what the coming of Christ is all about; that is, the joy, as Paul says, that “will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Pope Francis has told us in the past that “to be happy is good, [but] joy is something more. It’s something which does not depend on external motivations, or on passing issues: it is more profound [than that]. It is a gift. To be ‘happy at all moments, at all cost,’ can turn into superficiality and shallowness. This leaves us without Christian wisdom, which, makes us dumb and naïve.” Don’t you just love him… All joy, all of the time is not what today is about. Joy is a gift from the Lord, and it comes when we need it… It comes when He sends it!

The Prophet Zephaniah offers us three examples of this… First, God brings us joy as He has removed our guilt. That which could never be paid back, is taken away forever. We are loved… We are forgiven… We are welcomed back to His loving embrace! Second, God brings us joy right here, and right now, as the Lord is in our midst. Instead of the wrath and all that anger we hear about from others, God is here in the Word and at this table rejoicing over us! Third, and because of His love, God brings us joy in that we have nothing to fear, for its a fair question to ask, how could you be discouraged by anything if you were truly aware that you are in the presence of the Lord? Zephaniah promises that God will “renew you in His love,” which can also be translated to say that “God will quiet you,” leaving us with the image of a loving parent who holds their child near until the fear disappears.

This past Tuesday, the doors were opened to the Jubilee Year of Mercy with a theme that is quite rooted in today's celebration of joy, as we are called to reflect and act upon how our lives can be "Merciful Like the Father!" Dare I say, the logic is simple, and the definition of mercy is right here before us, for if we are forgiven, as Zephaniah promises, and God is present here in our midst, encouraging us, and offering us the reality that we are renewed in God's love, quieted by that loving embrace, then we are called to share this mercy with others... We must forgive one another, and be present to one another, and encourage one another to know that God will renew their lives! But if we are to be "Merciful LIKE the Father", then we must do all of these with that same peaceful embrace that simply invites others to come home and just be... Welcomed and loved for who they are, where they are! Just like the crowds in today’s Gospel, you are here, and must be asking John the Baptist, “What should we do?” He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” The Gospel calls us not to judge or condemn, but just give generously to others (MV, no. 14). But please note that our actions of mercy are not simply things we do so that we will be judged worthy by God. They are actions that NATURALLY flow from a heart that is open in that quieting embrace of God's mercy and love. Remember the challenging question from the Prophet: “How could you be discouraged by anything if you were truly aware that you are in the presence of the Lord?” By showing mercy and love to others, we illustrate how we have accepted God's merciful love and how we want to continue this outpouring of mercy by serving others (MV, no. 14).

So again you ask, “What should we do?” Open your hearts to God’s mercy and loving embrace! Avail yourself to the Sacraments of Healing with an Anointing or a visit to Reconciliation! “Come all you who labor and find life burdensome, and I will give you rest!”

But I’d like to challenge us all to be careful NOT to define the Year of Mercy as just a time for us to try and improve our lives by going to confession or Mass more often. While these are certainly necessary opportunities for us to continue our journey, the coming of Christ at Christmas, and the joy we celebrate here today, is NOT a self-help program to lose weight in the New Year! Zephaniah gave the people hope by saying that they would be renewed in God’s love, meaning that would have to change in order to continue their journey towards the light that would be Jesus Christ… The Prince of Peace… Born in manger… Emmanuel… God with us! Paul tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord always, [as] your kindness should be known to all.” KNOWN TO ALL! Therefore let us stretch the boundaries, and journey outside of our comfort zones to open ourselves to the GIFT of JOY, as it comes to us through the ones we serve, both in our prayers and our actions… We have a names for these WORKS OF MERCY and a guide for “what we should do…”

Spiritually we are called to share God’s JOY, as we TEACH the faith, offer COUNSEL to those with doubts, and LOVE to those who sin! We are called to be PATIENT with the wrongs, and FORGIVE willingly, and COMFORT the afflicted, and PRAY for the living and dead! In the same way, we should challenge ourselves to offer the work of our hands, as we FEED THE HUNGRY, and give DRINK TO THE THIRSTY, and like in today’s Gospel, we share our cloak, CLOTHING THE NAKED, and giving SHELTER TO THE HOMELESS! But maybe a little closer to home, we must VISIT THE SICK, and do what we can to PROVIDE FREEDOM FOR THE CAPTIVE, that is, make the faith possible for those who feel lost or abandoned, and when it’s time we should always assist in BURYING THE DEAD.

As Catholics, these Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy are something we’ve been taught our whole lives, and we probably do more with these than we think. But as we JOYFULLY embrace the nearness of the coming of the Lord at Christmas, let us commit to this coming Year of Mercy in a way that will show the world all that is the Good News, and this gift of joy that is our Merciful and Loving Father… “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again, rejoice!