The Third Sunday of Advent
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
This weekend, we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as “Gaudete Sunday,” which means rejoice or praise. We wear rose colored vestments and light the rose candle, which is a symbol of joy. We are joyful that the Lord is near. We are joyful that God has fulfilled his promise by sending his only begotten son, Jesus, to save us. We rejoice in knowing that he will return for us and our loved ones who have gone before us.
He has blessed each of us with so much. Have we taken time to thank and praise him for those blessings? For the gift of this day, for our families, for having a job to provide for them, for having a roof over our heads, to be able to talk to him in prayer whenever we want, and for the privilege of living in a country where we can come to mass when we choose; to freely and openly choose to worship him and receive him in the Eucharist. Let’s not take the freedoms and blessings God has given us for granted, especially when others aren't so fortunate.
What was prophesied in Isaiah, we see fulfilled in the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus opened the eyes of the blind, the deaf could hear, the lame could leap for joy, and the mute were able to sing his praises. We rejoice because Jesus truly loves and cares for each and every one of us. He took the time to care for the less fortunate, the poor, the sick, and the hungry. He calls us to do the same.
Do we share the blessings he has given us with others? Do we care for them the way God cares for us? He asks us to go out and spread the Good News of Christ’s love and mercy to everyone we meet. He also wants us to share our time, talents, and treasures with others, to share everything he has blessed us with.
May we follow Christ’s example and be a blessing to others, caring for them and sharing his love and mercy with all we meet.
Your brother in Christ
Deacon Manny
