Rejoice!
On the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, the readings invite us to rejoice. The first reading from Zephaniah tells us to shout for joy because the Lord is in our midst. Paul’s letter to the Philippians reinforces this by urging us to rejoice always and not be anxious, for the Lord is near. The overall message is one of joyful expectation and active preparation for the coming of Christ.
In the Gospel, John the Baptist calls us to share all that we have and act justly in our lives. He says: “If anyone has two tunics, he must share with the man who has none.” Letting go of our attachment to possessions can be incredibly liberating.
Don’t get me wrong; I haven’t mastered this by any means. Yet I’ve had moments when I have lost possessions, and found myself with very little, and those moments weren’t as bad as I thought they were going to be. It was not the loss of the possessions themselves, but shucking off the emotional attachment to them that felt wonderful, like a burden lifting from my shoulders. It felt a lot like freedom.
This may be what John the Baptist is talking about here: be accepting of your circumstance, and let go of ambition, greed and all the material ‘stuff’ that doesn’t matter. When we do this, we find that people are what is important, not ‘stuff’.
We inevitably look after our relationships with others when we let go of our own materialistic needs. We also make space for Christ.
What can we let go of as we prepare for the coming of Christ this Advent?
Today's readings: Zephaniah 3:14-18 Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7 Luke 3:10-18
Photo Credit: softlight / Adobe Stock
Source: Third Sunday of Advent
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