[Deacon Mick hit another one out of the park this weekend. Here’s his homily on the Third Sunday of Advent. Enjoy.]
Welcome to this third Sunday of Advent in the Church’s liturgy
is called “Gaudete Sunday”
or the Sunday to rejoice because
it marks the halfway point of Advent.
The vestments get a little lighter – a little brighter –
and the rose candle on the Advent wreath is lit.
This Gaudete Sunday celebration goes back to a time when
Advent was a period of deep penance and fasting.
It was a time for spiritual reparation and preparation for Christmas.
So the halfway mark was a relief,
Time to take a break, and a time to rejoice.
So, how do we feel this Sunday?
Is the nearness of Christmas
a cause for some deep joy in our life or
haven’t we have the time to even think about it?
Are we anxious about getting everything done in time?
Getting the Christmas cards out?
Putting up all the decorations?
Getting everyone just the perfect gift?
Personally, with doing all the Christmas stuff,
I’ve lost sight of what this time of Advent was for.
Today, in our society, in our culture,
Advent is spent sending cards, buying presents,
attending pre-holiday parties even if by Zoom
and then, Christmas Day happens
and suddenly,
the day after Christmas, it’s all over.
The Christmas carols stop,
the gifts beneath the Christmas tree disappear,
and everything is now geared toward the New Year.
Most probably —— things are already set in motion for this year, but
maybe we should give some thought
to Advent and Christmas of next year,
You know —— to let Advent be Advent
and then let the Christmas season really be a season.
The Christmas season is 12 days in duration
from Christmas Day to the Epiphany
We sing about the 12 days of Christmas
“On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…….”
SO ——— Do all the Christmas cards have to arrive by December 25th?
Why not throughout the entire Christmas season?
Do all the gifts have to be given on December 25th?
Why not throughout the entire Christmas season?
Do all the Christmas gatherings and celebrations
have to happen by December 25th?
Why not throughout the entire Christmas season?
So let’s think about it —
Does our personal Advent and Christmas celebration
leave us better off spiritually?
Is our faith deeper?
Are the bonds friendship and community with the Church stronger?
Do we come out of these seasons renewed
or relieved that it’s all over for another year?
The Advent season
doesn’t have to be an exhausting round of frantic activity,
a build up to something that’s gone in one day.
It can be a glorious time of revival and renewal if
we let Advent be Advent.
On this Gaudete Sunday, or Sunday to rejoice,
there are some deep truths that
might trigger a deep joy in us
despite this frantic Advent season.
The first truth is that
Christmas can be a time when we realize that
the most important things in our life are spiritual ones —
things like
the assurance of God’s love
and his ready forgiveness that
comes to us in Jesus Christ
and the mass is the assurance of that love and forgiveness.
And that there are friendships, loyal associates,
a faithful spouse, loving children,
caring people we know who are the
real assets, the real joys in a person’s life.
There is a second truth that
should lead to a deep joy at this time of year.
The power of Christmas centers in the truth that
not only has redemption occurred but that
it has continuing power in our life
as Christ calls us to begin again,
to awaken to his grace,
to open our eyes and ears to his presence. (pause)
What has been in our life;
does not have to be in our future.
A new life,
a new way of living is available to us in Jesus Christ.
The power of his cross and Resurrection is never exhausted;
it never runs out of steam.
And it’s always summoning us to new life.
As Isaiah says in today’s first reading,
“the Lord comes to set us free,”
to bring liberty and release from everything that
binds us emotionally, spiritually, personally.
A third truth, a third reason to rejoice
is the number of people in RCIA programs
who are preparing to join the Church at Easter.
It shows us that
we are not part of an historical preservation society
but of a community of faith that
is growing each day, each week, each year.
There are many reasons to rejoice this Sunday
but they can get lost
in the frantic preparations for Christmas.
John the Baptist say’s in today’s Gospel reading that
the Messiah is one among us
who is not recognized.
It can be a real tragedy,
with all the colored lights around us,
to miss the true light.
Advent is the time of year when
we can learn once more to see,
to appreciate, to recognize
the ways the Lord is present among us
even in this time of Covid-19.
If we use the Advent season
to learn once more
to see the things of God among us, then
the Christmas season
will be a time to celebrate Christ’s grand presence
and glorious power at work among us.
I will be a time to celebrate family:
a time to celebrate friendships;
a time to celebrate the joy of God’s presence in our life.
My brothers and sisters,
take the time to let Advent be Advent
and then Christmas will truly be Christmas ——
not only for a day but for a season of rebirth
and renewal in Christ.