Dec 16th will be the 3rd Sunday of Advent (called ‘Gaudete Sunday’ - Sunday of joy'): Zephaniah 3:14-18a. Philippians 4:4-7. Luke 3:10-18. The Gospel this weekend is this:
Luke 3:10-18 The crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" 11 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." 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?" 13 He answered them, "Stop collecting more than what is prescribed." 14 Soldiers also asked him, "And what is it that we should do?" He told them, "Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages." 15 Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." 18 Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people. The first reading is this: Zeph 3:14-18. Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. 16 On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! 17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you, 18 as one sings at festivals. The second reading is this. Phil 4:4-7. Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! 5 Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. 6 Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. 7 Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. MEDITATION: The readings this Sunday ask us to be patient and joyful as we approach Christmas. It's the third of the four Sundays of Advent (known as ‘Gaudete Sunday’ with regard to the beginning of the joyful atmosphere of Christmas). We celebrate in memory of what happened centuries ago in Bethlehem, but also in anticipation of a new birth of the love of Christ in us ourselves and in our world. St John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the Messiah and to confirm the miraculous signs. John represents the summit of all the prophets of the Old Testament, and asks us to look on him as an example for us. We know now that Jesus was going to begin the New Testament, and that he brought the Good News (Gospel), but are we really open to the birth of new things in our individual lives? Are we extremely conservative or are we 'open' Christians? The Trinity want us to faithfully care for the things that they've already given us, but also to be open to new things. Jesus asks us to obediently respect whatever our Church tells us, but he also asks us to be people of personal prayer. In this world where people worry so much about the way they look and their luxuries, John is a good example of escape from that 'prison'. The television coming up to Christmas will advertise nice clothes and luxuries to buy as presents, but Jesus praises John in the desert dressed in old skin of camels and eating the fine food of dead locusts! It's not a call to be 'masochists' and to feel proud for having avoided selfish pleasures and riches, but it's a call to be free. If healthy pleasures come your way, enjoy them and give thanks, but if they don't come, don't be upset. On the contrary, give thanks for the air you breathe and for the way Jesus frees us of selfishness. The birth for which Christ really longs is the birth of a Christian family of generous love. Enjoy receiving Christmas presents, but enjoy even more giving them if you can. Enjoy the 'get-togethers' of Christmas as signs of our future destiny as the happy family of God. We will end up giving much thanks to God and perhaps singing Christmas carols beautifully in Heaven - with John the Baptist dancing around us and passing out 'caviar' to everyone! If we can avoid the 'caviar' of the modern world (the riches, honours and selfish pleasures), then the Love of God may indeed be born in us and this Christmas may be the new beginning of an eternal Christmas. Isaiah tells of the whole of creation 'singing' a nice song etc. and Zepheniah even has God singing (Zeph 3:17), but we've got to look and listen well in order to appreciate it. Perhaps the Gospel describing Jesus healing the deaf and the blind is referring to all of us: if we welcome the Word of God as a companion for life, then we will begin to see and hear differently. I'm in a wheelchair but my heart can leap like a deer and my tongue will keep singing (Is 56:6) - as long as I don't crack any Christmas windows with my sclerotic voice! Be strong, because your God is coming. Open the door - hosanna! ....... Dara. En ESPAÑOL: Dec 16 será el 3º Domingo de Adviento (Gaudete): Sof 3:14-18, Fil. 4:4-7, Lc 3:10-18. Las lecturas este domingo nos piden que seamos pacientes y jubilosos al acercar la Navidad. Es el tercio de los cuatro domingos de Adviento (conocido como domingo Gaudete con respecto al principio de la atmósfera jubilosa de Navidad). Celebramos en memoria de lo que pasó hace siglos en Belén, pero también en la anticipación de un nuevo nacimiento del amor de Cristo en nosotros mismos y en nuestro mundo. Es pertinente que Juan Bautista les envía a sus discípulos para que le pregunten a Jesús si él es el Mesías y para confirmar las señales milagrosas. Juan representa el cúspide de todos los profetas del Antiguo Testamento, y la segunda lectura de Santiago nos pide verle a él como un ejemplo para seguir, pero el Evangelio hoy está proclamando que la puerta está abriendo al Nuevo Testamento. Sabemos ahora que Jesús iba a empezar el Nuevo Testamento, y que él trajo la Buena Nueva (el Evangelio), pero ¿estamos muy abiertos al nacimiento de cosas nuevas en nuestras vidas personales? ¿Somos sumamente conservadores o somos Cristianos ‘abiertos? La Trinidad quieren que queramos fielmente las cosas que ya nos han dado, pero también quieren que estemos abiertos a cosas nuevas. Jesús nos pide respetar todo lo que dice nuestra Iglesia, pero él también nos pide que seamos personas de oración personal. ¡En este mundo dónde la gente se preocupa tanto por su apariencia y por sus lujos, Juan es un ejemplo bueno de escape de aquella 'prisión'. La televisión acercando a Navidad anunciará ropa buena y lujos para comprar como regalos, pero Jesús le alaba a Juan vestido en la piel vieja de camellos y comiendo la comida fina de langostas muertas! No es una llamada a ser ‘masoquistas’ y a sentirse orgullosos por haber evitado riquezas y placeres egoístas, pero es una llamada a estar libres. Si los placeres saludables vienen disfruta de ellos y da gracias, pero si no vienen, no se perturbe. Al contrario, dé gracias por poder respirar aire y por la manera en que Jesús nos libra del egoísmo. El nacimiento que Cristo realmente anhela es el nacimiento de una familia cristiana de amor generoso. Guste de recibir regalos de Navidad, pero gusta aún más de darlos. Disfrute el ‘reuniones’ de Navidad como señales de nuestro destino futuro como la familia feliz de Dios. ¡Acabaremos dando muchas gracias a Dios y quizás cantando bellamente los villancicos en el Cielo – con Juan Bautista bailando alrededor de nosotros y presentando 'el caviar' a todos! Si podemos evitar 'el caviar' del mundo moderno (las riquezas, honores y placeres egoístas), entonces el Amor de Dios podrá nacer de hecho en nosotros y esta Navidad puede ser el nuevo principio de una Navidad eterna. Isaías habla hoy de toda creación 'cantando' una canción buena etc. pero tenemos que mirar y escuchar bien para apreciarla. Quizás el Evangelio describiendo a Jesús sanando el sordo y el ciego está refiriendo a todos nosotros: si damos la bienvenida a la Palabra de Dios como compañero de vida, entonces empezaremos a ver y a oír diferentemente. ¡Yo estoy en una silla de ruedas pero mi corazón puede brincar como un ciervo y mi lengua seguirá cantando (primera lectura Is 56:6) - con tal de que yo no cruja ninguna ventana de Navidad con mi voz esclerótica! Sea fuerte, porque su Dios está viniendo. ¡Abra la puerta - Hosanna! ……………..Dara. Comments are closed.
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