REJOICE IN THE LORD!

In the Gospel John the Baptist continues to give witness to Christ by telling those sent to him by the Chief Priests that though he is not himself the Messiah (the “Christ” or the “Anointed One”), the Messiah does already stand in their midst, “unknown to them”.

     John has prepared the way for the Messiah both by his preaching and his baptising. He tells the messengers from Jerusalem that the true Messiah will baptise not merely with water, but with the Holy Spirit.

     St. Paul, in the second reading (which is taken from the first Epistle to the Thessalonians), encourages us to “be joyful at all times”. This is not the same as the secular call: “Don’t worry; be happy!” The call to Christian joyfulness is made in the Entrance Antiphon whose first word “Gaudete!” (rejoice!) has given this Sunday its name. It is a spiritual gift and quality and is not incompatible with some difficulties in life and even pain and sorrow. This is clear from Our Lord’s teaching in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”, and “Blessed are you when men revile you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account—rejoice and be glad...!”

     True Christian rejoicing means a profound, and not a superficial joy. It is seen in the difference between those, on the one hand, who know the inner peace which comes from closeness to God and the doing of His Will at any cost, and on the other hand those who principally seek entertainment and distraction from the tedium or problems of their daily lives in shops, bars and clubs.

     For us, the call to “rejoice” is the invitation to find the God of peace in our preparations for His coming at Christmas. It’s not that God doesn’t want us to enjoy Christmas, rather that He wants us to enjoy His Son’s coming, for which we can only prepare by keeping this Advent as a time of prayer and sacramental practice.     ~ Fr. Paul Dobson