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.
