III Sunday of Advent “B”
John 1, 6-8, 19-28
Today we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Advent. Guadate Sunday, Rejoice. During this time of Advent of waiting, we rejoice! We rejoice because we know that Jesus’ coming is near. Our salvation is imminent. Today, on Guadate Sunday we continue to consider the message of John the Baptist, the one who came before to prepare the way of Jesus. After the Virgin Mary there is no one else who can better prepare us for the coming of Jesus.
John is clear in his message; he is not the light! But he came to testify to the light. Jesus alone is the light. John came before Jesus to prepare the way for Jesus’ coming and though we know that Jesus came we are called to do the same as John, we are called to be witnesses to the light who is Christ. But how do we do that? What can we do to point out Jesus the light?
We have the answer in the first reading for today, the reading from Isaiah the prophet. The message from the first reading is clearly important to the Christian message. It is how Jesus himself saw his mission: to bring glad tidings to the poor, heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to prisoners, to announce the year of favor of the Lord. This is Jesus’ mission. And we as followers of Jesus are called to the same mission, to continue the work of Jesus. But there is a deeper meaning in the reading today; a deeper meaning for those of us who are awaiting the coming of Jesus.
We cannot see Jesus like the Shepherds were able to see Jesus. We cannot gaze upon the face of Jesus like the magi. But we can see the face of Jesus today. We can see the face of Jesus in the poor, the broken hearted, the captives and prisoners. As we can for those most in need in the world today, we can see the face of Jesus today. When we care for those who are in need, we are the presence of Jesus. If we want to see Jesus, we must look for the poor, if we want to be Jesus we must care for the poor.
People always claim that Christmas is about the children. If we want to experience the joy of Christmas, we need to be around children. That is obviously true; but Christmas is also about the poor and the needy. Jesus’ birth wasn’t announced first to the shepherds because they were wealthy and of good reputation. Mary and Joseph weren’t thinking that they would give great gifts, a fancy stroller or the latest toy. No, the shepherds were first because they were the poorest and least important in Jesus’ time. Jesus’ message is always most important for the poor.
Unfortunately, here in San Francisco the poor of today are the unhoused. You all don’t have the go far to find them. But it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to give them money, or to invite them over for Christmas dinner. But maybe what you could do is to give a financial gift to a homeless shelter or one of the many institutions that help the homeless here in San Francisco.
Who are the broken hearted? I was thinking that is a good phrase, the broken hearted. There are so many people whose hearts are broken. People who are suffering in so many ways. Think for a moment, who is brokenhearted in your life? Maybe you are! I have a suggestion. Christmas is an incredibly hard time for many folks, especially those who have lost a loved one in the past year. Christmas is very painful time for them. So, think of someone who has lost someone they love in the last year. Someone who will spend this Christmas for the first time without their mother or father, spouse or child. Someone who is grieving and make a point of doing something for them this Christmas. Maybe a gift or a card. Maybe even a plate of cookies that you leave anonymously at their front door. Or a phone call; I am thinking of you. There is nothing that heals a broken heart more than knowing that someone remembers their pain.
Captives and prisoners. Who are the captives and prisoners in our world. Obviously, there are prisoners right in our city, but there are also folks who are captives to alcohol, and other drugs. People who are struggling with an addiction. I would suggest that you make a point of keeping them in prayer. For those of you who struggled with addiction you know that the first step is to admit one’s need for God, or a higher power. So, pray for someone who is struggling with an addiction to overcome that addiction.
This is our call for this season of advent. John the Baptist witnessed to the light. He announced Jesus coming to the poor and needy. We can do the same this advent, we can announce Jesus’ coming but helping the poor, comforting the brokenhearted, announcing liberty to captives. When we do this our light will shine, Christ’s light will
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