Tuning into the news and current affairs, we find ourselves continually confronted with concerning developments in the world and our country. So much of this presents the Church and our own family lives with new challenges to overcome. With a constant feed of bad news, it is easy to slip into a mindset of discouragement and impatience. This Third Sunday of Advent, we are encouraged in the scriptures to be patient and full of hope… The Lord is coming!
In the Gospel of Mark, John the Baptist finds himself wondering about God’s ways and whether the Messiah has indeed come to save the Jewish people. His reaction is understandable given he has found himself locked up in prison after enduring persecution for announcing the coming of the Messiah. Jesus doesn’t seem to be doing much to bring political freedom for Israel.
Jesus cuts through any doubt or discouragement that John might be feeling by reminding him of the life and freedom being brought to the afflicted throughout the land. The blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear! God is bringing freedom for the Jewish people, just in a different and more glorious way than expected.
Jesus actions of healing correspond to Isaiah’s prophecy of God’s coming in glory. When God comes, the blind will see, the deaf hear and the lame will leap for joy. The people will sing for joy with rejoicing and gladness. Isaiah’s prophecy is addressed to those with “weary hands, trembling knees, and… to the faint-hearted,” who are discouraged and despondent. They are encouraged with the hope that God is coming to save them… and in a glorious way!
Similarly, James counsels the Christian community to be patient until the Lord’s coming. This community had experienced trials and persecutions, yet James counseled them not to lose heart, “because the Lord’s coming will be soon.”
While at times, we might be tempted to feel discouraged with the growing challenges confronting our Church, families, country and world, today’s readings teach us to look for the ways in which God is already bringing freedom and life in the midst of these circumstances and to look forward patiently and with certain hope for Christ to come gloriously bringing his victory in our lives and the lives of those we love.
Dave Nightingale (Seminarian)
First Reading (Isaiah 35:1-6, 10)
Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult. Let the wasteland rejoice and bloom. Let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil. Let it rejoice and sing for joy.
The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it. The splendour of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendour of our God.
Strengthen all weary hands. Steady all trembling knees and say to all faint hearts, ‘Courage! Do not be afraid.’
‘Look your God is coming. Vengeance is coming. The retribution of God; he is coming to save you.’
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed. Then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy, for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.
They will come to Zion shouting for joy, everlasting joy in their faces; joy and gladness will go with them and sorrow and lament be ended.
Second Reading (St James 5:7-10)
Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains! You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Gospel: (Matthew 3:1-12)
John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again and the lame walk. Lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’
As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found tin palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says, Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare your way before you. I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’
In the Gospel of Mark, John the Baptist finds himself wondering about God’s ways and whether the Messiah has indeed come to save the Jewish people. His reaction is understandable given he has found himself locked up in prison after enduring persecution for announcing the coming of the Messiah. Jesus doesn’t seem to be doing much to bring political freedom for Israel.
Jesus cuts through any doubt or discouragement that John might be feeling by reminding him of the life and freedom being brought to the afflicted throughout the land. The blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear! God is bringing freedom for the Jewish people, just in a different and more glorious way than expected.
Jesus actions of healing correspond to Isaiah’s prophecy of God’s coming in glory. When God comes, the blind will see, the deaf hear and the lame will leap for joy. The people will sing for joy with rejoicing and gladness. Isaiah’s prophecy is addressed to those with “weary hands, trembling knees, and… to the faint-hearted,” who are discouraged and despondent. They are encouraged with the hope that God is coming to save them… and in a glorious way!
Similarly, James counsels the Christian community to be patient until the Lord’s coming. This community had experienced trials and persecutions, yet James counseled them not to lose heart, “because the Lord’s coming will be soon.”
While at times, we might be tempted to feel discouraged with the growing challenges confronting our Church, families, country and world, today’s readings teach us to look for the ways in which God is already bringing freedom and life in the midst of these circumstances and to look forward patiently and with certain hope for Christ to come gloriously bringing his victory in our lives and the lives of those we love.
Dave Nightingale (Seminarian)
First Reading (Isaiah 35:1-6, 10)
Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult. Let the wasteland rejoice and bloom. Let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil. Let it rejoice and sing for joy.
The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it. The splendour of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendour of our God.
Strengthen all weary hands. Steady all trembling knees and say to all faint hearts, ‘Courage! Do not be afraid.’
‘Look your God is coming. Vengeance is coming. The retribution of God; he is coming to save you.’
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed. Then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy, for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.
They will come to Zion shouting for joy, everlasting joy in their faces; joy and gladness will go with them and sorrow and lament be ended.
Second Reading (St James 5:7-10)
Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains! You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Gospel: (Matthew 3:1-12)
John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again and the lame walk. Lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’
As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found tin palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says, Look, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare your way before you. I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’