3rd Sunday of Advent (Fr. Francis)
An Old Russian story tells of a farmer named Diametric who, like Simeon in the gospel of St. Luke (2:26), wishes to see God face to face before he dies. He prays to St. Nikolai who promises to grant his wish. The saint goes on to specify the place and the day of the encounter. As the time for encounter draws near, Diametric sets out on his long journey. He has only one thing in mind: his appointment with God. But along the road, he meets an old farmer whose cart has broken down. Now he has dilemma: must he stop to help the farmer or hurry on to his appointment with God? His kind heart wins and he stays to fix the farmer’s cart. It takes him hours to finish the task and he never makes it to the meeting place. That night, St. Nikolai appears to him in a dream and says: “My friend, you have encountered the Lord. It happened when you helped that unknown man in need.”
We are on the third Sunday of the Advent which is known as Gaudete Sunday which means Sunday of rejoicing. John The Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, was approached first by the crowds, then some tax collectors, then some soldiers who ask him- how to live, what to do and how to be? His answers to the 3 questions the people put to him are: Share with others, be fair and kind and be content. These 3 ways of being/doing are really one: “Love one another as I have loved you.”
So in these days of Advent, we make a greater effort to share with the hungry and homeless, we share with them out of God’s gracious bounty to us. As we listen to the songs of Advent, we remember how kind God has been to us. On this Gaudete Sunday we, like the people of ancient Jerusalem and the Philippians to whom Paul wrote in today’s second reading, are invited to: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” Let us rejoice, because the Lord is close at hand!
If we will try to ask kids as to what is Christmas for them, perhaps majority of them will answer it’s about the gifts they are going to receive. Christmas is about Santa Clause and the gifts he will give them. Even if they are wrong, I think that is understandable. Being kids their focus is on the material or earthly things. However, we must also slowly point out to them the real essence of Christmas.
In our gospel for this third Sunday of advent John gives us another angle about Christmas that we must seriously look into. When John was asked by the crowd; “What should we do”? John told them; share your cloaks and your food. Then he told the taxmen, stop collecting more than what is prescribed; stop being extortionists and be satisfied with your wages.
I read somewhere that the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea are formed by the same water supply. It flows down, clear and cool, from Mount Hermon. The Sea of Galilee makes beauty of its water, for the sea has an outlet. It gets to give. It gathers in its riches that it may pour them out again to fertilize the Jordan plain. The Dead Sea, on the other hand, with the same source of refreshing water, is desolate and not clean, for the Dead Sea has no outlet. It gets only to keep. Interestingly, unselfish and selfish people act much the same way. Unselfish people get to give and luxuriate in their generosity while selfish people only get to keep and stagnate into desolation. As Charles M. Schulz says “Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone.”
Through his actions and words, John is telling us that Christmas is not all about the material things of this world. For John, Christmas is about giving and sharing especially to those who are poor who cannot repay our generosity. For John, Christmas is about repentance and changing our ways for the better. John is indirectly telling us not to focus on the material things; he tells us to focus on something that is much deeper and that is the birth of Jesus, our Messiah.
One of the greatest gifts we can give to others is to practice random kindness. In this Christmas Season give a gift that will last, a gift that will endure long after you are gone. Practice random kindness. Go ahead, practice kindness anyway. The take home for today is: What shall we do while waiting for the coming of the Lord? First, act on people’s needs. Second, do an honest job. Third, tell the truth.
Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord always! Amen.
Fr. A. Francis HGN