12th December, 2010 3rd Sunday Advent. Year A
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I am grateful to Fr Dan Grundy who has celebrated the masses this weekend at ST Mary’s and Tiaro Church while I was doing a wedding.
I am back for the Aramara Church mass, Sunday night, December 12th.
There is a consistent thread running through the Liturgy and the readings of this week’s Mass. Joyfulness, expectation, hope and thanksgiving. It lifts one’s heart.
Why should we be joyful? Because the Lord is near! Why is the nearness of the Lord something to celebrate? Because the Lord is our saviour who loves us and cares for us as a loving parent unconditionally loves their child. Because God is saying, he does care very much for us and the many worries and tragedies and in justices and needs that affect us in our lives. God wants to be near us, God wants to be one of us. God wants to walk with us in our joys and our sorrows, our graces and temptations.
From his jail cell, John the Baptist sends a message to Jesus and asks “are you the one who is to come, or should we wait for another.” The answer Jesus gives must have given John and so many others a wonderful joyfilled heart…. What do you hear and see,,,,, the lame walking, the sick being healed, the prisoners being freed… Yes.. this is the saviour at work…. We are right to hope in him and to put all our trust in him. Thank Goodness for the Lord……
For all those who are bowed down, suffering, and experiencing illness, bereavement, lack of freedom, injustice, lack of food, shelter and the necessities of life, the Lord says,…. Be strong.. keep hoping.. don’t give up… I am coming… I will never forget you…..
This is enormously powerful and important…..
We are to be people of hope who see with the eyes of faith even when things around seem bleak…
Finally… jesus makes another important point… He praises John the Baptist as highly as possible… but then adds something very special….. “as highly praiseworthy and special as John the Baptist is… the least in the Kingdom of heaven will be greater than him!!!!’ Jesus (even now) reminds us that membership of the Kingdom comes with a different mindset… the lowly, the poor, the outcast, the rejected… these are IMPORTANT to God… these are to be treated with as much reverence, respect and given what they need, because they are beloved, cherished members of GOD’S FAMILY, and to be fully given this respect… this is astounding and wonderful news… no wonder this Sunday is called “rejoice Sunday”
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REFERENCES:
· FR. PAUL W. KELLY
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