For the third of Advent

Here is the text of the homily I shared with the community gathered in prayer for the Third Sunday of Advent.

The coming dawn

There’s a beautiful tradition that I’ve witnessed only in this city.  It happens on Christmas Eve night.  As the daylight fades on that day, some of the streets near the downtown, and a few other streets of the city too, are decorated with what seem to be endless lines of paper bags.  Inside each of the bags is a candle which burns, spreading a soft but welcoming light.  In its simplicity this procession of candle light calls out, telling those who witness it that this night is different, that something wonderful is about to happen.

This third Sunday of the Advent season is traditionally known as Gaudate Sunday, the day of great joy.  Today, we light the pink candle in the Advent wreath, and if we had them, priests and deacons would be permitted to wear rose vestments today instead of the purple ones.  In this way, the liturgy of the Church also calls to those who witness these subtle changes, telling us that the light of the Lord that we witness at Christmas is indeed on its way.

Matthew’s gospel speaks today of an encounter between Jesus and the disciples of John the Baptist.  The disciples ask a question of Jesus: Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?  At that particular time in history, many people were waiting with increasing anticipation for the Messiah.  They had heard of his coming as it was proclaimed in the scriptures, but some also believed that the Messiah would be a political leader who would use the force of swords and clubs to expel the Romans from Judea.  There were also others who believed that the Messiah would be a heaven-sent figure who would be capable of walking on clouds and of punishing all of God’s opponents.  When the disciples asked him their question, Jesus answered in another way, quoting the words we heard in the prophecy of Isaiah: Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.

By describing the Messiah’s actions in this way, Jesus is suggesting that God wants to take care of the human race.  John’s disciples knew as well as we do that God created the world and all that is within it, but God also give human beings the gift of free will.  If he wanted to, God could impose his will upon us, but he has chosen instead to allow us to choose.  There are some in our world who have not yet come to know God, and there are some who perceive him through his actions.  There are still others who acknowledge him with their hearts and minds and freely welcome him.  As we come to know him, God provides us with enough light to guide us along the path, like the candles along the roadsides, but not too much light, which would blind us.

God’s people are still waiting for the day when we will know him in all his fullness.  Until that day, Saint James tells us that we must be patient and that we must strengthen our hearts for the coming of the Lord is near.  We strengthen our hearts in faith by caring for those in our world who are poor and sick; by coming to understand that those who are incapable of work because of sickness or disease are our brothers and sisters; and by helping those who walk this path of faith with us to see and appreciate the light that guides us until the day of the Lord dawns.