3rd Sunday Advent
11th December 2022 (Sunday) Readings and Reflection
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we are on the Sunday of 3rd Sunday Advent. Today's gospel reflection is on the theme A life for Life!
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For more certainty the Readings are posted from the Latest Catholic Lectionary{alertInfo}
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-6a,10
1. The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2. it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. 3. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6. then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.10. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Psalm 146:7,8-9a, 9bc-10 (R. see Isaiah 35:4)
Response: Come, Lord, and save us. or: Alleluia.
It is the Lord who does justice to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
the Lord who sets prisoners free. Response
It is the Lord who opens the eyes of the blind,
the Lord who raises up those who are bowed down.
It is the Lord who loves the just,
the Lord who protects the stranger. Response
The Lord upholds the orphan and the widow,
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign forever,
the God of Sion from age to age. Response
Second Reading: James 5:7-10
7. Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Gospel : Matthew 11:2-11
2.Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3.and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4.And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5.the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepersa are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6.And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 7.As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8.What then did you go out to see? A manb dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9.What then did you go out to see? A prophet?c Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10.This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 11.Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Rejoice!
Indicative: Rejoice with joy and singing because the dry land of life shall blossom abundantly with the glory and majesty of the Lord. The only thing needed is patience {alertSuccess}
1. This 3rd Sunday of Advent is celebrated as the Sunday of Joy. The word of God breathes a profound air of joy. The prime reason for joy is quite clear: the Messiah comes and his coming heals and renews everything. There will be an abundance of life in renewed strength and gladness. The glory and the majesty of the Lord shall be resplendent on earth in new blossom and vigour.
2. But we need to see this reign of the Messiah. We need to see with the eyes of faith and hope. Often life looks bleak and dark with manifold vicissitudes. Like the disciples of John the Baptist, we too may ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
3. Like many in the world, we too may be looking for many other alternatives like the world, the flesh, and the evil. It is in this context, Jesus replies, "Go and refer to John the Baptist what you hear and see: The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the dumb speak, the dead are raised, the poor receive the good news".
4. These are really the very same signs of the Messianic times as told in the OT, as heard in Isaiah, "the deserts and the dry land rejoice and blossom like the rose. He transforms everything by his healing and health, by restoring happiness and peace ".
5. Today the same Lord is telling us almost the same thing: "Go and refer to the world what you hear and see". This implies that we ourselves hear and see before we testify to others what God does in our world, and in our human lives.
6. Do we really hear God's voice, God's message constantly speaking to us? Do we hear his directions and counsels? Do we hear his cautions and warnings? Do we hear his appeal for conversion, for renewal? Do we hear his daily invitation to trust in him, to experience his love and mercy?
7. Do we see his hand working in our lives? Do we recognise his action, and intervention in our lives? Do we see his healing bandaging our wounds, his care protecting us, his love nurturing and strengthening us, his mercy forgiving us, his wisdom illumining and guiding us?
8. True it is that in our present times, there is so much blindness, deafness, numbness, lameness, aridity, sadness and death. These do not seem to be the Messianic times but the demonic times. Many cannot and do not see, do not hear, do not speak God and good. Many are paralysed with regard to moving for God and good. Many limp and stumble in the path of God and good, while they run in the road of evil and fun.
9. Further, many experience their life dry and sad. Life does not seem to be fair and happy. So it is difficult to believe and testify. But the truth is this: Our God is loving and caring and unfailingly He comes to save us. We need to be convinced of this.
10. We need to believe this against all incredulity, trust amidst all distrust, hope against all hopelessness, we need to be courageous against all discouragement, we need to be strong against all weaknesses, we need to be firm against all wavering, we need to be wise and clear amidst all confusion and deviations.
11. As Isaiah says, we need to strengthen our weak hands and confirm our feeble knees. Yes, strengthen our weak hands, cling tight to God in faith, and stretch out, to reach out to others in charity. We need to make steady our stumbling knees in prayer, in determination and in surrender.
12. We need to establish our hearts. We need to be patient as James exhorts us like a farmer and like all the prophets. Only like this, we can Live and testify like John the Baptist. God comes to save us, and He changes the quality and the tone of our life.
Imperative: Only in joyful suffering and patient endurance, our advent, our Christmas become events of joy here and now, and not merely of the past.{alertSuccess}
Video Reflection
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