14.12.2003 3rd Sunday of Advent

First Reading: Zephaniah 3, 14-18
from the Psalms: Isaiah 12, 2-6
Second Reading: Philippians 4, 4-7
Gospel Reading: Luke 3, 10-18

Rejoice, exult, let your hearts be of good cheer! Joy is the fruit of those events which fill men's hearts, that satisfy them, that fulfil their greatest wishes even those wishes that they are not aware of. The prophet Zephaniah invites the people to begin rejoicing for they were to become spectators of a very special intervention at the hand of God, who would revoke the punishment and scatter the enemy, and who would be present in the midst of His people! He Himself, the great, immense God would be satisfied with His faithful!

It is not difficult for us to recognise that this exhortation to joy concerns the coming of our Lord Jesus: it is he who brings us relief from guilt, who overcomes our enemy; it is he who is present in our midst, he who takes pleasure in his disciples and rests together with them. We rejoice because we see that these promises have been kept and we rejoice again and again for they have been repeated and renewed: the celebration of the coming of Jesus can add something to our lives. We have received him, but there are other spaces that he can fill within us and our families, in our communities and in society.

The words of the prophet are the same as those addressed to Mary by the voice of the angel, words that troubled her: she realised that such a great joy would change all she had planned for her life. Joy opens one's heart to understanding, to letting in other realities, other people and situations. When we are cheerful, says St Paul in the second reading, everyone will be attracted to us and listen to us. When we are cheerful many things change: even our relationship with God becomes more free and serene. We will be able to turn to Him with even the most desperate situations. With joy in our hearts our prayers and supplications become thanksgiving, for we can see in God's countenance the wish to grant our desires, to increase our joy by showing us that He, immense and omnipotent God, takes us seriously because He is our Father! There will no longer be overwhelming situations which make us despair, for we will be able to confide in someone; our own intelligence sees no solutions, but we know that we can pose no limits to God's. We can rest on the Father's promise that are fulfilled in His son who comes for us!

John is to prepare his coming, He recommends to all who ask him, whether they be tax-collectors or soldiers and both categories were despised by the people, a kind of behaviour that could change their lives and society. John's suggestions solicit poverty of spirit and humility, gentleness and respect of others: whoever embraces this type of life will be ready for the most important and decisive meeting, the meeting with Jesus!

John describes him as "mightier than I" and one who baptises "with the Holy Spirit and with fire". Jesus' baptism would be different to John's. John washes and cleans with water and by preaching he prepares for great changes, for Jesus' work which will bring the Spirit of God Himself into the inner man! The Holy Spirit of God burns, illumines, warms like fire. Jesus will give new life, changing man from within: no political revolutions! The difference between Jesus and John is great: the latter claims to be unworthy to loosen the thongs of Jesus' sandals and yet his role is important; indeed he awakens the atmosphere of expectation, he presents Jesus as the final judge, whom they should all listen to.

During this Advent, although we are already disciples of Jesus, let us all take on this sense of expectation as though we had not yet accepted him. We should not take for granted that we know everything and that we love sufficiently, because Jesus deserves much, much more, he is still the greatest and his works for us will always be as new, because there will always be more to burn, more to judge. He will find chaff mixed with good grain in our hearts, in our thoughts and in our actions.

The ministry of John is also necessary for us. We listen to him and with humility we prepare to change our attitudes and certain situations that we are accustomed to. Jesus will then be able to emerge us in, or rather baptise us with his Spirit and we will experience that profound joy to which the apostle and the prophet invited us!

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