Third Week

3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday

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In today’s First Reading David spares no expense or effort to welcome the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem with a liturgy that was not only generous, materially speaking, but from the heart. He danced before the Ark to show his love for the Lord. The Ark represented the Lord’s presence and favor among his people; it was at the center of Jewish worship. David to some seemed to be making a fool of himself, dancing before the Lord, but David had his priorities straight: everything he’d gained in life had come from the Lord, and he owed everything to the Lord as a result.

In the Eucharist we do not just have a representation of the Lord’s presence; we have the Lord himself. We don’t sacrifice animals to him, because he had made himself the perfect sacrifice to offer the Father, but do offer the sacrifices of living a holy life that is pleasing to him and that is also thanks to his sacrifice, which won us the grace to be holy. We don’t dance, but we do “celebrate” the Eucharist with a joy of blessings received and acknowledged and an eager anticipation for receiving Our Lord in Holy Communion to deepen in our love for him.

Make the liturgy today a moment of celebration and eager anticipation.

Readings: 2 Samuel 6:12b–15, 17–19; Psalm 24:7–10; Mark 3:31–35. See also 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday and 25th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

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Today’s readings remind us of the importance of the Word of God in our lives. In today’s Gospel Luke explains to Theophilus that he sought to check and compile all concerning Jesus that had been written or handed down by other “ministers of the word.” Ezra in today’s First Reading, as part of a liturgical assembly in honor of the dedication of the newly rebuilt Temple in Israel, reads the law for hours to the people in order to help them to renew the covenant: it was probably the first five books of the Old Testament. The Israelites found their identity in the words of the Law, just as we find it in the Bible today, especially in the Gospel, but without discarding what’s been handed down to us in the Old Testament.

Our Lord too in today’s Gospel reads from the prophets, but presents something new, something that represents his Incarnation and mission and sheds light on all the Word of God: he has come to fulfill everything promised through the prophets, and to give meaning to the history of salvation lived until that moment and passed along through oral and written traditions until being compiled into what we call the Bible today. Without God’s Word we’d soon lose our identity and our way in a world plagued by ignorance, confusion, and evil.

Just like Ezra, Paul, and Jesus himself the Lord blesses us with people who conserve and interpret what God has said to us throughout salvation history. Let’s pray for all ministers of God’s Word today, and for the grace to be faithful witnesses to that Word as well.

Readings: Nehemiah 8:2–4a, 5–6, 8–10; Psalm 19:8–10, 15; 1 Corinthians 12:12–30; Luke 1:1–4, 4:14–21. See also 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B and 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Monday.

3rd Week of Advent, Wednesday

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In today’s Gospel we see a glimpse of when the Advent and Christmas party is over. John the Baptist has dedicated himself to his mission of prophet to the Messiah, and now he’s in a dungeon for it at the whims of a cruel tyrant whose “wife” wants him dead. He also knows that prophets usually don’t live to a ripe old age. So the doubt comes: was it worth it? Is Jesus really the one? John’s disciples are bringing him news, but it’s no surprise that in the gloom of a dungeon your outlook can get equally gloomy.

What he decides to do shows great humility: imagine sending your own disciples to ask whether you’ve been prophesying the right thing all along. This shows humility, but also faith: he asks Jesus with simplicity whether he is the one or not, and doesn’t demand proof. Our Lord responds by connecting his miracles with the prophecies of Isaiah, with one important omission and one important addition. He omits the prophecy about freeing the captives, but he makes a point of mentioning that he has raised people from the dead. Therefore he tells John that his liberation from prison is not forthcoming, but that he has power over death itself. John should not expect freedom in this world, but he shouldn’t fear death either. For John that is enough to prepare himself for martyrdom.

How many Advent and Christmas seasons have you lived? If a fresh hope in the coming Savior has given way to a gloomy routine of another holiday season that will come and go too quickly, now is the time to ask Our Lord to remind you of all the miracles he has worked in your life in order to re-fortify your hope. Don’t be shy about asking him.

Readings: Isaiah 45:6c–8, 18, 21c, 21c–25; Psalm 85:9ab, 10–14; Luke 7:18b–23.

3rd Week of Advent, Monday

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In today’s Gospel we can re-cast the question Our Lord posed to the chief priests and elders: what is, for us, the real reason behind the season of Advent? Is it a human reason or divine one? The chief priests and elders wimped out and avoiding answering the question because they knew whatever they said would be unpopular.  Does that sound familiar? Are we afraid to take a position on the reason for this season, or are we playing both sides to avoid trouble, observing more secular Christmas traditions with some and more religious ones with others?

This apparent paradox is woven into this season and reflects what is really behind it: what’s coming is not only due to God and from God, but, rather God himself is coming. God is coming after assuming a human nature: something from God has become something of man too. The danger is discounting the divine part in favor of the human: then we’re celebrating the birthday of someone who had a great impact on the world a few thousand years ago, and not the birthday of Our Savior. It’s the difference between giving witness to God being behind the season and simply considering it another social convention to follow.

Even in Advent God is on the move. Let’s share that joyful news and what it means to us and to the world. He is coming to save us.

Readings: Numbers 24:2–7, 15–17a; Psalm 25:4–5ab, 6, 7bc, 8–9; Matthew 21:23–27. See also 8th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday.

3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)

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The Third Sunday of Advent is also called Gaudete Sunday because of the first word of the entrance antiphon. Gaudete is Latin for rejoice; each reading today is an invitation to joy because the Lord is near or in our midst. In today’s Gospel people are flocking to John because expectation is building that a change for the better is at hand. People from all walks of life are approaching John and asking advice on the right thing to do. They’re willing to share and willing to be fair in their dealings with others. A better society is at hand, which is why they start asking themselves whether John is the Christ.

John tells them that the Christ is coming and promises something even better than what he is calling for: a salutary shake-up. Winnowing fans were used to toss grain and straw into the air: the straw and chaff would blow away, leaving the grain to fall back onto the floor. The “grain” is everyone and everything good and just, while the “chaff” is burned as bad and useless. Even if a shake-up was coming, it was for the sake of good, not evil.

Just as John is preparing the way and telling them the Lord is close, so Advent has now reached it’s fourth week. Let’s follow John’s advice: let’s share with others and strive to be more fair to them in this Advent season.

Readings: Zephaniah 3:14–18a; Isaiah 12:2–6; Philippians 4:4–7; Gospel Luke 3:10–18.