The first Scripture reading from the prophet Isaiah proclaimed: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light: upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown. You have brought abundant joy and great rejoicing.” This is a wonderful, wonderful way of describing the Christmas mystery. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. There is a light at the end of the tunnel -- not just a temporary flicker but an eternal flame. We are indeed a people who wait in joyful hope not because the darkness is over, but because the Light is with us now, and the Light will overcome the darkness.
Today we celebrate Gaudete Sunday – on this Sunday we are asked to take time from our hectic holiday season, time to reflect on the true meaning of Advent to take time for prayer, to rejoice in our preparation for the coming of the Lord. You might notice that our presider is wearing pink vestments today. During Advent the liturgical color of violet is used. The dark color of violet in Advent harmonizes with the diminishing sunlight late in the year. However, on Gaudete Sunday the rose color indicates the coming joy for us. The color rose can be seen as the softening of the violet color. Rose is violet changing and approaching white. In this sense, it anticipates the pure white of the Birth and Resurrection of Christ.
Songwriters for How the Grinch Stole Christmas first asked the question, Where are you Christmas? Now the song is a staple in our Christmas playlists. This Advent, my wise spiritual director gave me the homework of being mindful of where I find Christmas. To illuminate his point, he shared the story of a man whose Christmas miracle was an unexpected family reconciliation. I left my time in spiritual direction thinking I would have to remember my homework! But I need not have worried. The question resonated with me throughout each day and I couldn’t help but reflect on it in my heart. As I write this, we still have a week to go until Christmas and yet I have been blessed already with so many Christmas miracles, miracles made known to me by the coming of an infant lying in a manger.
oday we move along on our Advent journey towards the celebration of the Son of God entering our world, our humanity, and our community. John the Baptist calls us to move from the wilderness of sin and discouragement to a state of hopefulness and trusting expectation. Even though none of us like to wait, least of all myself, the Advent journey calls us to appreciate the wisdom of waiting. John the Baptist himself was someone who knew how to wait. More than that, Jesus Himself never tires of waiting for us to embrace His merciful love. Thanks be to God, Jesus is a very patient God who never gives up on us. John the Baptist calls us to repentance in our Advent journey. Additionally, in the second Scripture reading, Peter also calls us to repentance. Peter says: “God is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” I would like to reflect with you the on the meaning of repentance that the Lord calls us to in our Advent journey.