On this Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, we stop and pause to reflect on the joy we have in knowing Jesus as our Saviour. In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist is celebrating the gift of Baptism, and he tells his followers, “I baptise you with water; but there stands among you, unknown to you, the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal strap” (John 1: 19-28).
The inner Joy of our Baptism unites us with the Lord and with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, takes us into a profound encounter of anticipation in preparation for the transformational moment of the meaning and message of Christmas.
The Prophet Isaiah is overwhelmed by the generosity of God; he shares the integrity of his faith with the people who surround him. His message has the potential to resonate with each of us to this day. “The Spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken; to proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to those in prison, to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord ” (Isaiah 61:1-2).
These words ignite powerfully within us an invitation to reach beyond the narrow gate of our thinking and to rediscover the joy of the Lord living in us as we face our struggles and difficulties and the uncertainties of today.
Happy Gaudete Sunday
Fr Jim
