3rd Sunday of Advent: The Kingdom is coming, just watch for the signs!

Today is Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent. Gaudete means joy in Latin.  We have been preparing for the coming of the Lord our first few weeks in Advent.  During the first week of Jesus called us to stay awake, preparing for the His coming at the end times.  Last week John the Baptist called his followers to prepare through repentance of their sins.  John the Baptist returns today, but there is a major turn of events. He is now in prison and is in need of hope to endure the trial of being in captivity. The first reading we hear from Isaiah is a key that gave him some hope, and us as well.

         The reading from Isaiah provided hope to the Jewish exiles who had been captivity for many generations. It’s a prophecy of God coming to rescue them. Some vivid images are used to describe a turn of events for those in exile. The desert would bloom with abundant flowers rejoicing with joyful song. It would be turned into lush, rich forest full of life like the northern part of the country. He also tells of the restoration of physical ailments.  The feeble and weak would be made strong, the blind would see, the deaf would hear, and the lame leap like a stag.  This healings and blooming in the desert represented God actions in returning them to their homeland where they would sing in everlasting joy. Isaiah’s prophecy let them know that God was faithful to his people.

John now being in prison was in need for some hope.  He heard of Jesus ‘works and sent his disciples to find out if he was the Messiah asking, “Are you the one to come?” Jesus didn’t answer directly, but instead quotes Isaiah to John’s disciples:  the blind see, the lame walk, and the deaf hear. This was a sign to John that the works of Jesus were prophesized by Isaiah.  This provided John some joy that Jesus could be the long awaited Messiah and would provide hope to endure his captivity. Jesus also spoke of the most important point of his own mission as Messiah: The poor would have the good news proclaimed to them!  This good news was that He would bring salvation to many through the forgiveness of sins. This may not have been the type of Messiah that John and his disciples were expecting. Many thoughts that the Messiah would be a mighty ruler who would overcome the Roman occupiers. This would have only been a short term earthly victory.   Jesus’ victory was an eternal one: overcoming death and bringing about eternal life. John wouldn’t live to see Jesus fulfill this role on earth, but he did accomplish the task God gave him of preparing the way of the Messiah. Jesus told the crowds John was someone very special, much more than a prophet and that none born of women were greater than he. But he had something much more important to tell them: that the least in the kingdom of heaven would be greater than John! This good news for the crowds it possible for them to enter the kingdom of heaven. They just had to come to believe that he was the Messiah and follow the beatitude of Jesus, ”And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me”. This was hard for many at that time, and still hard for people today.

Through our faith in Lord we have hope of being greater than John the Baptist by being least in the kingdom of Heaven.  Jesus make this possible for us through the Church and the Sacraments. Through baptism we become children of God and members of his Church.  We’re provided gracethrough the Eucharist and Confirmation to be Christian disciples in bringing about the kingdom of heaven.  This is something that we can rejoice in!

But before we rejoice, we need to ask: Where do we see the kingdom of heaven?  In this world it seems like we are still in captivity and in exile from the heavenly kingdom of our Lord.   Just turn on the TV or computer for the recent news and it certainly doesn’t sound like the kingdom of heaven is here. We can get discouraged if we don’t have patience to endure as we wait for the coming of the Lord. But if we make our hearts firm and patiently keep the faith in our Lord, we can bring about the kingdom of heaven as disciples of Christ.   We just need to look for the signs of the kingdom of heaven among us.  

Where can we see these signs?  Have the blind regained their sight?  For the single mom who faced the darkness of being alone in an unexpected pregnancy, but now sees the light of hope with help from Gabriel project, I think they have.  Have the dead been raised?  For the people whose faith was brought back to life by attending Welcome retreat, I think they have. Has the good news been proclaimed to the poor?  For the thousands of people served at our food pantry and thanksgiving distribution who now can pay for their housing with going hungry, I think it has. Were there lepers who were cleansed?  For the hundreds of persecuted families throughout the world welcomed by Catholic Charities to resettle in Indianapolis, I think they were. Were there deaf able to hear?   For the hundreds of men and woman imprisoned in Johnson County jail who hear the Word of God and receive the Eucharist weekly, I think they have. 

The kingdom of heaven is made present by the loving action of the Christian community who have faith in Jesus and hope in his coming again in Glory. We can bring the kingdom of heaven in our everyday lives in doing simple things ourselves:   Sharing a kind word with someone at work or school who is difficult to get along with,  visiting a neighbor or relative who can’t get out, or just being patient when driving with those around us who aren’t so patient. 

So, let us be joyful as we anticipate the coming of our Lord, waiting patiently for the birth of a humble little baby like each of us at Christmas.   Let us also rejoice in our hearts as we receive the Eucharist and patiently wait for Jesus‘ coming in Glory to fully usher in the kingdom of heaven.