Reflection for the 3rd
Sunday of Advent Year A
(Gaudete Sunday)
(Is 35:1-6, 10. James
5:7-10; Mt 11:2-11)
THE DRY LAND SHALL BE GLAD
“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom...and rejoice with joy and singing.” The
Prophet Isaiah used this analogy to describe the messianic blessings to come.
Dry land presents different categories of unfruitfulness, hopeless, toughness
and pain. “They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.” He
comes with recompense! Also, the coming of the Lord shall bring healing and
freedom from bondage. Finally, the Prophet announced that the coming of the
Lord shall bring joy. “The Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness...”
PATIENT-ENDURANCE
The voice of the prophet is still
alive today. Our Advent—the expectation of a Christmas encounter—is loaded with
such blessings that our longing for the Messiah is ever warm and alive. Thus
every experience of ‘dry land’ quickens our advent steps as we match to behold
Jesus. So the Second reading advises us to match with patience until the coming
of the Lord. St James uses the analogy of a farmer who patiently looks forward
to harvesting his crops. Thus the silent meditation of our hearts should be
focused on the coming of the Lord. If we are wrapped in this patient
expectation of the hour of grace—dawn of salvation—we will not grumble nor
judge one another, for “Behold, the Judge is standing at the doors.” With
patient-endurance we shall step on our every ‘dry land’, filled with hope and
joy that God is with us!
THE MESSIANIC BLESSINGS
But this prophet, John the Baptist, is in
prison! The precursor, who introduced the Messiah, has been reduced by human wickedness. He who
lived in the desert, ate locust and honey, but had people around him, is now
locked up in the city prison with only darkness as his neighbour. John the
Baptist who was the ‘voice’ for the Messiah is now wondering if his message was
true... “Are you he who was to come, or shall we look for another?” Jesus
pointed out the messengers that the messianic blessings promised by Isaiah are
now being fulfilled: “The blind receive their sight and the lame walk...” So
dry lands are blossoming again! This can only happen with the presence of the
Saviour.
As the messengers left, “Jesus began to speak
to the crowds concerning John.” So he who lost his voice because of Christ has
found his voice anew in Christ Jesus. While John the Baptist was in prison,
Jesus stands out in the light for him, and defends his name and dignity. Though
Herod tried to silence John, his voice continues to echo in Christ Jesus;
though they took away his freedom in the dark prison, he remains free and
shining in Light in Christ Jesus. John was treated with contempt, and death
awaited him, but Jesus proclaimed him the ‘greatest among those born of women’,
and announced his eternal place in the Kingdom of Heaven.
When we look at John the Baptist from the eyes
of Herod, we see a man condemned, with no beauty or hope. It is a life in dry
land, with neither refreshment nor fruitfulness. But when we see John from
perspective of Jesus Christ, we understand deeper the prophecy of Isaiah about
how the coming of the Messiah will make dry land to blossom and rejoice. We see
a beauty, healing, greatness, freedom and life that no Herod can take away! This is the glory that Christmas brings—the messianic
blessings—which we must look forward to with patient-endurance. Let us in
silence focus meditate on these great tidings.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu,C.Ss.R
Ss Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Sunday December 15, 2019.
