WC 15/12 JOY
- dclm01
- Nov 29
- 3 min read
We take this theme from the Gospel reading of the
3rd SUNDAY OF ADVENT YEAR A
GATHER
+In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
What is the difference between happiness and joy?
Have you ever done something kind for someone who couldn't repay you?
How would you advise someone who wanted more joy in their life?
WORD
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew: Glory to you O Lord.
At that time: When John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him,
‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’
And Jesus answered them,
‘Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind receive their sight and the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear,
]and the dead are raised up,
and the poor have good news preached to them.
And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.’
As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John:
‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?
Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
‘What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.”
‘Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.’
The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
RESPONSE
The Third Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday, which means "Rejoice!" The mood of the Church shifts from solemn preparation to joyful anticipation. But what exactly is the source of this Advent Joy?
In the Gospel, from Matthew 11, John the Baptist sends his disciples to ask Jesus,
“Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
John needed reassurance, and Jesus answers by pointing to His actions:
“Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind receive their sight and the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear,
and the dead are raised up,
and the poor have good news preached to them.
And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.’”
Jesus's answer reveals the source of Christian joy: It is found in God’s radical, preferential love for the poor, the suffering, and the marginalised.
Joy is not a feeling we generate by buying things or achieving success. That feeling is the short-lived buzz of happiness. Sadly, many people spend their whole life chasing this buzz instead of experiencing lasting joy.
Joy is the gift we receive when we witness or participate in God's saving action in the world. When the broken are healed, when the forgotten are remembered, and when the powerless receive good news. Whenever we serve others. This is the work of God’s Kingdom, and we experience joy when we participate in the mission of building God's kingdom - on earth as it is in Heaven.
Too experience a deep and lasting Advent joy, we must seek out the same people Jesus sought out. We are called to be Christ's hands and feet, bringing "good news to the poor" in our own lives:
The lonely, the anxious, the disabled, the old, the awkward...
When we stop chasing happiness or looking inward at our own problems, and focus outward on sharing God's love with others, we find that joy floods our hearts and there is no greater feeling.
How does Jesus’ message challenge or comfort you?
COLLECT
Let us pray…
O God, who see how your people
faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity,
enable us, we pray,
to attain the joys of so great a salvation
and to celebrate them always
with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
