The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for Gaudete Sunday encourage our joy in the anticipation of renewal of our relationship with the Word Who is Life.
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| Gaudete is Joy |
The reading from the Prophet Isaiah celebrates the return of the redeemed to Zion and Israel's deliverance from foreign oppression.
* [35:1–10] This chapter contains a number of themes similar to those in Deutero-Isaiah (chaps. 40–55), for example, the blossoming of the wilderness (vv. 1–2; cf. 41:18–19), which is now well-irrigated (v. 7; cf. 43:19–20); sight to the blind (vv. 5–6; cf. 42:7, 16); a highway in the wilderness (v. 8; cf. 41:3); and the return of the redeemed/ransomed to Zion (vv. 9–10; cf. 51:11). Nevertheless, it forms a unit with chap. 34 (see note on 34:1–35:10) and reflects, along with that chapter, themes found in chaps. 1–33.1
Psalm 146 is a hymn of someone who has learned there is no other source of strength except the merciful God.
* [Psalm 146] A hymn of someone who has learned there is no other source of strength except the merciful God. Only God, not mortal human beings (Ps 146:3–4), can help vulnerable and oppressed people (Ps 146:5–9). The first of the five hymns that conclude the Psalter.2
The passage from the Letter of James urges our patience in suffering.
* [5:7–11] Those oppressed by the unjust rich are reminded of the need for patience, both in bearing the sufferings of human life (Jas 5:9) and in their expectation of the coming of the Lord. It is then that they will receive their reward (Jas 5:7–8, 10–11; cf. Heb 10:25; 1 Jn 2:18).3
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus receives messengers from John the Baptist as He praises the role of John.
* [11:9–10] In common Jewish belief there had been no prophecy in Israel since the last of the Old Testament prophets, Malachi. The coming of a new prophet was eagerly awaited, and Jesus agrees that John was such. Yet he was more than a prophet, for he was the precursor of the one who would bring in the new and final age. The Old Testament quotation is a combination of Mal 3:1; Ex 23:20 with the significant change that the before me of Malachi becomes before you. The messenger now precedes not God, as in the original, but Jesus.4
Tom Drzaic notes that we are in the midst of Advent. This is a good time to remind ourselves to be bold in expressing our joy as the hope, promise, and love that is manifested in Christ’s birth is celebrated, and to also express his words in actions, whether it be in a kind word to someone in need of one, a helping action to someone, or a donation made to a charity.
We all have the ability whether it be the giving of our time, talent or treasure to put God’s love into action this season, and my wish is to you that when this is done, you feel God’s presence as you live your faith, strengthening the belief in the answer to the question that John the Baptist posed, that yes, Jesus is the one who has come.5
Don Schwager quotes “John fulfills Elijah's prophetic ministry,” by John Chrysostom, 547-407 A.D.
"Jesus knew the mind of John who sent them, for he knew, as God knows, our inner thoughts. There he was, actively healing the blind, lame, and many others. He healed not to teach John, who was already convinced, but those who had come to him doubting. Having healed them he said, 'Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.' And then he added pointedly, 'And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.' By saying this Jesus implied that he knew even his questioners' unuttered thoughts. For if he had said simply 'I am he' this would have fallen short of overcoming their unstated sense of being offended. And it would have given fuel to some Jews who were already saying to him, 'You bear record of yourself' (John 8:13). Hence he answered nothing directly concerning his identity but left them to learn of it from the miracles, freeing what he taught from suspicion and making it plainer. Then Jesus gently chided them for being silently offended in him. He made their case for them, leaving it to their own conscience alone to judge, calling no witness of his reprimand other than they themselves who knew what they had been thinking. For it was of their own inward offense that he was thinking when he said, 'Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.' In this way Christ drew them all the more closely to himself." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 36.2)6
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 11:2-11 wonders if perhaps John wasn’t uncertain at all. Maybe it was all part of the plan. What if John was doing exactly what he had always done: helping people recognize the Messiah? Maybe his question wasn’t for himself but for his disciples—to help them believe in Jesus.
John’s time was short. Concerned for his followers, he wouldn’t want them to fall away once he died. His mission had always been to lead people to Jesus, and he was determined to be faithful to that mission right up to the very end. So it makes sense that before he died, John would want his disciples to know for themselves that Jesus was the Messiah. It makes sense that meeting Jesus would persuade them far more than John’s words.
John’s question resonates in our hearts too. Is Jesus really who he says he is? Can we find joy in him no matter what? Of course, we already have faith in Jesus, but don’t we all need more? So John sends us to Jesus, along with his disciples, so that we can hear and see him.7
Suzanne Guthrie observes that this year particularly, some kinds of anxieties have quieted, and she has slowed down, not far enough but farther than ever before, contributing to the awareness of the season's anticipatory magic. Other anxieties have heightened as she prepares to lead retreats on prayer and the climate crises. Intrinsically impermanent, the point of Advent is preparation for the world turning upside down and anticipating what will come. She is glad she has a lifetime of Advents to draw from. Less a practice and more a habit of staying in the moment, watching, waiting. So here is a word from Meister Eckhart about always preparing.
Therefore I say: In every gift, in every work, we ought to learn to look toward God, and we should not allow ourselves to be satisfied or be detained by any thing. Whatever our way of life may be, we must not cease to progress; this has been true for everyone, however far he may have advanced. Above all else, we should always be preparing ourselves, always renewing ourselves to receive God's gifts. -Meister Eckhart 1260-13278
Friar Jude Winkler notes the words of Isaiah on Gaudete Sunday to reassure the Israelites about God’s deliverance from Assyrian oppression. To let God’s plan unfold in God’s time, we need to be patient. Friar Jude notes how the return of Elijah may be realized in John the Baptist and Jesus.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, presents Thomas Keating (1923–2018), one of the founders of Contemplative Outreach which promotes the practice of Centering Prayer, explained how meditation is linked to the healing of our shortcomings. He called it the divine therapy.
The Fathers of the church who wrote about this subject called this process deification. In other words, the purpose of this journey, even the Twelve Steps of [Alcoholics Anonymous], is not just to become a better person and to maintain recovery, as important as these are. It is to change us into the divine way of being human. This is a much bigger and more comprehensive project and opens us to the full extent of human possibilities and capacities. You cannot do much better than to become God by participation. [2]
I, Richard, believe that these are critical steps on any spiritual journey. God is humble and never comes if not first invited, but God will also use just about any circumstance to get invited. God’s totally positive and lasting way of removing our shortcomings is to fill up the hole with something much better, more luminous, and more satisfying. Then all our old strategies, including the addiction itself, are exposed for the false programs for happiness they really are.9
Anxieties and stress can be part of our lives at the very time when we are invited to deepen our relationship with Jesus in the Christmas celebrations. Wisdom calls us to rest in patience for our restoration.
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