Sunday, December 12, 2021

 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

(Zephaniah 3: 14-18; Philippians 4: 4-7; Luke 3: 10-18)

We usually celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe separately from the Advent season. We honor Virgin now as if there were in the middle of summer. But this separation of feast and liturgical season is hardly necessary. She represents a great deal that corresponds to time of waiting. Anyway, this year we cannot isolate the feast from the season. Falling on a Sunday, December 12 must give cede priority to the Advent season.

During Advent we should be reflecting on the tripartite coming of the Lord. He will come again at the end of time as he came 2000 years ago and as he comes every day. First, he came in the flesh as redeemer of the world. Now he comes in the Eucharist as sustenance for believers. At the end of time he will come in glory as savior of the faithful. When he arrives, he will justify our ways of living righteously. The whole world will realize why we cherish modesty and use moderation. It will know that we have dedicated ourselves to the good of both God and our neighbor for a specific reason. We want the Lord of glory to recognize us as his own.

It can be said that John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary represent the spirit of Advent. The two announce the coming of Christ. Juan does it in the Gospel today by saying “’…one mightier than I is coming.’” The Virgin did it by appearing to the indigenous Juan Diego as a pregnant woman. The ribbons on her dress showed that she was carrying the baby Jesus to Tepeyac, the place of the indigenous people. What is more, she requested the construction of a church so that her son would have a dwelling among them.

The two also indicate how we are to prepare for the Lord's coming. Juan is as direct as a sergeant is to a private. He commands the people to share their clothes with the poor. He tells tax-collectors not to cheat and soldiers not to extort money. We are to carry out these guidelines in our lives. We too must always be honest with money and compassionate towards the poor.

The Virgin was much more subtle in her instructions. She indicated the need for us to focus on God when she presented herself as "Mother of the true God for whom she lives ..." Her determination to have a temple built also taught us the virtues of social justice and fortitude. It was only the right of the indigenous people to have a place where they could praise Christ. However, if the Virgin did not insist, Juan Diego would never have returned to the bishop to obtain it.

Today, the third Sunday of Advent, the priest wears rose-colored vestments at Mass. He does it to lift the spirits of the faithful. It is time for rejoicing. We have to wait just two more weeks for the coming of Christ at Christmas. The first reading instructs us: "Sing, daughter of Zion." Let us sing with spirit because the Lord is very close! The second reading echoes this theme. It says: "Rejoice always in the Lord." Another reason to sing and rejoice is the presence of the Virgin already among us. She has come to help us, her people. She has come to introduce us to her son, the redeemer. As with Juan Diego, she has come to be our Mother.

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