Third Sunday of Advent
This Third Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday, so-called from the first word of the Entrance Antiphon at Mass. In the first reading, Isaiah foresees a time when God will bring about a new order of creation, and new life for his beloved people. St. James highlights patience in the second reading: “Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord." The gospel reading from St. Matthew focuses on the apparent differences in the messages of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah, and of Jesus himself, whose ministry was marked by a focus on divine healing and mercy, and the imperative that his disciples keep the commandments of love. Collectively these readings are cause for joy for many reasons: because they proclaim that the coming of Christ has redeemed the world and restored the highway to heaven for the human family; in addition, they motivate us to be hopeful and patient in waiting for Christ to come again in glory to fulfill God’s plan; and they provide us with the tangible sign of God’s abiding presence in our lives and his loving care for us. As St. Paul writes: “Rejoice in the Lord always!”