Society of the Divine Word

15 December Sunday

3rd Sunday of Advent

The Word

Is 35,1-6.10 / Jas 5,7-10 / Mt 11,2-11

Is 35,1-6a.10

The wilderness and the parched land will exult;

the Arabah will rejoice and bloom;

like the crocus it shall bloom abundantly,

and rejoice with joyful song.

The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,

the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;

They will see the glory of the LORD,

 the splendor of our God.

Strengthen hands that are feeble,

 make firm knees that are weak, 

Say to the fearful of heart:

Be strong, do not fear!

Here is your God, he comes with vindication;

with divine recompense he comes to save you.

Then the eyes of the blind shall see,

and the ears of the deaf be opened; 

then the lame shall leap like a stag,

 and the mute tongue sing for joy.

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,

and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy;

they meet with joy and gladness, 

sorrow and mourning flee away.

Jas 5,7-10

Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brothers, about one another, that you may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates. Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Mt 11,2-11

When John heard in prison of the works of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to him with this question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.  And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see?  A reed swayed by the wind?  Then what did you go out to see?  Someone dressed in fine clothing?  Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.  Then why did you go out?  To see a prophet?  Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.  This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.’

Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

In other words…

A German sailor told me once about his world-travel adventures, as he sailed across the oceans with his yacht. He braved tumultuous waves, endured extreme discomfort. Sometimes he felt lost and disoriented in the vastness of the oceans, seeing no human soul for many days and weeks, except his companions. But his constant hope that somewhere beyond the horizon lies an unseen island or another ship, keeps him from falling into irrational fear and panic.

Asked if he believed in God, the sailor said, “when you feel the power of nature in the seas and contemplate the vastness of the universe in the skies, it is almost impossible not to think about a powerful Being, who notices and guides you: a tiny insignificant speck floating in the ocean.” In his world-wide travels, he has learned to slow down and allow nature to guide him, “In the oceans, I must adjust and live with the natural time of the tides. I have learned to be patient and focus on what is essential. If you learn how to wait, the best things will come at the right time and the right place.”

As we prepare for Christmas, we are busy attending parties, wrapping gifts, writing cards, decorating our houses. We ignore Advent, which is a preparation time before Christmas. We want to celebrate Christmas immediately before December 25. (Some say that Christmas in the Philippines begins in September.) That is why, when Christmas day comes, we do not savor its specialness. If we have not learned to properly wait for a good thing, we will miss it.

Who can blame us? We experience today instant messaging in our mobile phones, real time news in our TVs, fast food in our plates. We want things happening immediately, right here and right now. We become easily impatient, when people are slow and work is delayed. Even during waiting, we want to be busy and occupied. We do not want to wait for others, although we have no qualms, when others wait for us. We think waiting means boredom and a waste of time. If this is our attitude, how can we spend the season of Advent before Christmas, which is a time of waiting?

Patience is not simply waiting, but having the discipline to hold on until the right moment and the right place. That is why patience requires a strong mind and will, which resists instant gratification. A patient person believes that all good things come to those who wait, that his wishes will happen but it will take time. For him, it is more important to go slow and gain the lessons he need along the journey, than to rush the process and arrive at his destination empty. Just because he took longer than others, doesn’t mean he failed. Life is not a one-day journey; we must journey in life taking one step at a time. The sailor told me, “you will arrive your destination sooner or later. Just be patient and be ready.”

– Fr. Simon Boiser, SVD (Hamburg, Germany)