So, Rejoice Always!
Looking back at this year, so much has happened; maybe you have been sick, bereaved, disappointed by people at work, in the family, or at church, or you have been discouraged by another, this Sunday is a breath of courage and hope for you. On this Sunday, we light the third candle, representing “joy”. It is the “Gaudete Sunday”, which means “rejoice”. St Paul invites us to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4) as a true Christian community characterized by prayer, thanksgiving, and joy. The season of Advent is for the entire world, an invitation to be joyful for Christ is coming into our lives. Why shall we always rejoice?
1) All the readings of this Sunday point out that something is about to take place. There is a new beginning in perspective. We find this tune of liberation and newness that John is witnessing in today’s gospel, in Micah, and Isaiah 61 whereby the Lord will bring consolation, freedom and deliverance. We are joyful because we are waiting for our jubilee of freedom that comes from Jesus. So Rejoice always, even when you are going through difficult times.
2) We rejoice for Jesus the Divine, the Messiah who is coming, will restore us. No wonder Psalm 51:12, proclaims: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit”. The God who brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and from exile, will cause your heart to smile again even when things seem to be falling apart. The God-man, Jesus, is coming to take up us again, from zero to hero, from nothingness to something, and from dust to life. Rejoice always!
3) God’s presence is our joy because the coming of Jesus makes known to us the path of life. In Psalm 16:11, we read: “in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Spending time with God brings tremendous joy in the hearts of believers and “Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.” (Ps 97:11) Jesus is coming to us to give wisdom, and knowledge, and joy to those who please and who abide in his word (Cf Ps 119:111; Ecclesiastes 2:26). Like John the Baptist, faithfulness to God and witnessing to the power of the Holy Spirit should produce even greater joy in our lives.
4) This Sunday helps us to discover that joy is an essential part of our Christian life. Jesus reminds us in John 16:24 that, until now, we have asked nothing in his name. He urges us to ask and we will receive, and our joy will be full. Let's be filled with the spirit of joy and share our joy of being Catholics with the world today!
Do you really want to be happy in your life today?
Here is the secret: forgive, make peace, reconcile, be humble, please just do that and joy will find you.
Joy cannot find us in materialism, in extravagance, in materialism, in greed and selfishness. Joy can truly find us in humility and in nothingness. In the nothingness of the tomb, we saw the joy of Easter; in the nothingness of the womb of the blessed Virgin, Mary we saw the joy of Christmas; in the nothingness of the womb of Elizabeth, we saw the joy of God intervening in history. So, always find your true joy in the Lord!
Fr. Georges Roger BIDZOGO sac