The readings for Third Sunday of Advent (Year B) May be found at:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121320.cfm
In this third week of Advent, we recognize Gaudette Sunday, when we wear pink and allow ourselves to celebrate a little, the joy and hope we have because of what God has done for us through Jesus. Our color and our mood reflect - just a little - the bright light that is to come.
In today’s gospel we’re told that John was sent by God to testify to that light.
In all four gospels, John the Baptist appears at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as one who prepares the way for Jesus.
But that wasn’t the only reason that John stood out.
We know from scripture that John lived in the wilderness, wore camel hair clothing and fed himself on locusts and wild honey, like someone you might see on a survival program. On those shows, the goal is to survive - to be resourceful and to prove yourself strong and worthy and to challenge yourself.
But John wasn’t living to prove anything about himself. John came to testify to the light and to help others prepare for the coming of Jesus.
Because of the way John lived, the way he carried himself, the message he shared - people wondered who he was - and the priests and Levites asked him directly, “Who are you?” And his response couldn’t have been more clear. He was sent by God to be a witness to testify to the light. His whole purpose, his whole reason for being, much like the disciples yet to come, was to make Jesus known to the world.
John’s voice was one of hope.
Now, we may not think of it this way, I mean our clothes, grooming and food choices are different than John’s, thankfully, but we’re not supposed to be very different from him.
We’ve been placed here by God just as John was - to testify to the light and to prepare the way for Jesus.
Like John, our role - all of ours - is to bring people to Christ.
Does that mean we need to stand on the street corner with a sign or go door to door or monopolize every conversation with talk of scripture, no.
What we’re called to do is to try and live our lives in a way that people will be able to know through us - that our faith in Christ makes all the difference.
To express our faith in a joyful, grateful way. To talk about our faith. To invite others to learn more about our faith. To live in a way that brings hope.
I once heard someone say that hope doesn’t make life easy - it makes life possible - and i think that’s true.
Especially in times like these, hope reminds us that it won’t always be like this. There is light coming.
Now hope doesn’t just happen. Hope takes practice. Practice could mean to rejoice - especially when it’s hard; to pray without ceasing - especially when we don’t want to and to give thanks in all circumstances - especially when all we want to do is complain.
Hope is a way of approaching our day and how we do things. It’s a way of seeing and hearing and it allows us to know Christ better. It also has a way of rubbing off on those around us. I mean, would you rather be around a hopeful, thankful person or a miserable person who only points out the bad?
Hope might not change the circumstances of our life, but it does change us - and in the process changes everything.
It makes us a better witness and it allows us to better testify to the light and to better prepare the way for Jesus as John did.
The fact is, we give a witness to the light, to our faith in Jesus Christ every single day in our actions and our words. What kind of witness do we give?
The pink candle on our Advent wreath is lit - only one purple one left. Jesus is coming.
How well prepared will he find his way when he gets here?
