As Christians We Have Every Reason To Thank God

17-12-2017. THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (B)

SCRIPTURAL READING:

1. Is. 61:1-2a. 10-11.

Ps 1:46-48.49-50.53-54 (R. Is. 61:10b)

1. 1 Thess. 5:16-24; Accl; Lk 4:18.
2. Gospel Jn. 1:6-8.19-28.

Dear friends please repeat these words after me;

Thank you Jesus for your word which I will receive at this hour,

Please Lord, make my heart a fertile soil for the reception of your word today

Holy Spirit, rekindle in me the fire of your love and may God’s word bear fruit in my life. Amen.

TOPIC: AS CHRISTIANS WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO THANK GOD.

Today, the Church calls to joy and thanksgiving within this season of Advent. The church calls today Gaudete Sunday, a Latin word which simply means “Rejoice.” The word rejoice finds its place in the first word of the introit of today’s Mass taken from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 4:4-5 where he calls on Christians to “rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.”

The Liturgical colour for todays’ celebration is Rose. The rose coloured candle is lit in addition to two of the violent coloured candles, which represent the first two Sundays of the season of Advent. Despite the otherwise somber readings of the season of Advent, which has as a secondary theme the need for penitence, the readings on the third Sunday emphasize the joyous anticipation of the Lord’s coming.

We are called to rejoice because our saviour is to be born in our midst. He has already come yet the church calls us to rejoice today. Why? As we go through lives struggles joy is something that is stifled in the events of our day to day activities. So if we must have this joy, we must prepare ourselves interiorly for the joy of the lord’s presence as the first reading says to us brings a new order, a newness that transforms because; “it is upon him that the spirit of the Lord rests, to bring good tidings to the afflicted, to bind (heal) the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.

We are to rejoice because the joy that he brings cannot be contaminated as long as we remain in him. Our joy is full because we who have once experienced sadness can now have reasons for great joy. Not a Fake Joy, Political Joy but a deep seated joy that is contagious and creates and brings freshness into our lives and that of others.

Joy is the fruit of an intimate relationship with God. The Christian man or woman cannot have God in his life and be sad. Sadness is the end product of selfishness and a total disconnect from God.

If we ever want to be joy-filled, we must not compromise our relationship with God for a second! Been cheerful is a product of prayerfulness and a readiness to accept God’s will for me at every point in time even when I struggle to accept it. We cannot be intimate with God through prayerfulness and be sad, selfish, and depressed.

Dear friends, if we must be joy filled, we must keep from us every seed of hatred, anger, malice, pull him down syndrome and all the vices of our lives. Let us note, the foolishness in bringing others down is found in the fact that as you spend time seeking the down fall of others, you are increasingly becoming stagnant, choked, unhappy, limited and depressed even when you smile it is fake!

But then there is a wisdom that lasts. The wisdom in bringing others up and affirming them is found in the fact that you will be unlimited, joy-filled, prosperous, you will always be on the progressive journey, your smile will be contagious and those around you will be proud having you around.

We cannot be praying and then sad. If you are sad find out the root cause. Eliminate it through prayers and penitence and self-discipline. Resume your prayerfulness and learn from the Blessed mother who received news of her older cousin and ran up to the heights not in doubt but to celebrate and share in the joy of her older cousin Elizabeth. Because she was filled with Joy, Elizabeth and John who was in the womb leapt for joy. This is the action and working of the Holy Spirit.

Joy is one of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit as Gal. 5:22-23 tells us. Joy is a habit cultivated by one who has totally surrendered to the Holy Spirit.

The Greek word for joy is Chara. Joy is the natural reaction to the work of God, whether promised or fulfilled. Joy expresses God’s kingdom-his influence in my life, my family, my work and in the world at large as Romans 4:17 says. When the Holy Spirit dwells in a man, the joy that the Spirit gives can manifest in several ways:

1. The joy of deliverance: when God sets someone free, rejoicing becomes the other of the day.

For example:

a. 1 Samuel 2:1- Hannah was filled with joy at her deliverance from her enemies.

B. Acts 12:14-the servant girl was so overjoyed that God had rescued Peter from prison that she forgot to let Peter into the house. She ran to call others to come see peter even while she left him at the gate.

1. The joy of salvation: joy fills our hearts because God has saved us and desires our wellness.

For example:

1. Luke 15:7: there is greater rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than ninety-nine righteous people.
2. Acts 8:8: The people of Samaria were joyful as they heard the gospel and saw God’s power in healing the sick.

1. The joy of spiritual Maturity: as the Holy Spirit works in us to bear more fruit, we become confident in God’s promises and rejoice in our walk with him and with other believers.

For example:

1. John 15:11- the fullness of joy comes to those who continue in the love of Christ and obey him.
2. Philippians 2:2-groups of believers who unite in demonstrating the mind, love, and purpose of Christ bring joy to others.

1. The Joy of God’s presence: the Holy Spirit draws us to God, in whose presence we can know true joy. Without the Holy Spirit, no one would seek God.

For example:

1. Psalm 16:11: “you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
2. Matthew 28:8; luke 24:41: the women who went to Jesus’ tomb and the disciples were overjoyed that he rose from the dead.

Finally brothers and sisters, we can become joy filled Christians if we make efforts to be united with the Lord in prayers. I pray this day that the Lord leads us to him through the guidance and enlightenment that comes from the Holy Spirit. Amen.