Readings for the Third Sunday of Advent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10
The Prophet Isaiah envisions for his contemporaries the beauty of the land as the people of Israel return from the Babylonian exile. For later generations this is seen as a vision of the coming of the Messiah, who comes with healing hands to lift up the poor and those seen as punished by God.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
R. Lord, come and save us.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Psalm 146 is from the wisdom tradition. Here we are given a vision of God’s salvation. His saving power (envisioned in the oracle of Isaiah and fulfilled in Jesus the Christ) lifts up the poor and down trodden and heals those afflicted with every sort of malady.
Reading II James 5:7-10
The NAB footnote on this passage provides an excellent commentary with scriptural supports. “Those oppressed by the unjust rich are reminded of the need for patience, both in bearing the sufferings of human life (James 5:9) and in their expectation of the coming of the Lord. It is then that they will receive their reward (James 5:7-8, 10-11; cf Hebrews 10:25; 1 John 2:18).”
Gospel Matthew 11:2-11
In this part of St. Matthew’s Gospel, John the Baptist sends his disciples to question Jesus. He does so because his expectation of the Messiah is of one coming with power and majesty, “his winnowing fan will be in his hand”. In response the Lord directs them to see the Messiah as Isaiah’s oracle predicted (Isaiah 35:1-6). It can be seen as a warning not to disbelieve because the expectations of a “Royal Messiah” were not met.
The Gospel continues with the Lord turning to the crowd and praising St John’s role, likening him to Elijah who was to come, preparing the way for the Messiah. He concludes this passage with a statement about the reward given to those who hear and believe in the Kingdom of God.
Reflection:
The Gospel message summarizes the vision of both the incarnation of Jesus and the vision of his coming again. It also does one more very important thing; it asks a question that we must answer for ourselves. In the Gospel Jesus is speaking to the disciples of St. John the Baptist. They came to him with a rather insulting question. They ask him directly if he is the Messiah. As if to add injury, they finish their question with “…or should we look for another?”
The reason for this question goes back to what we heard just last week. Recall the words of St. John as he spoke about the Messiah: “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
John was expecting the Lord to come with authority and power like Elijah, calling down the wrath of God on those who opposed him. In a breath, the Lord changed everything. He told the disciples of John, quoting Isaiah’s vision, that he was the Messiah and they did not need to look elsewhere. He (St. John the Baptist) had just looked at the wrong prophecy. Justice for the unjust would come later, first, God’s love and the hope of things not seen must be brought to the poor, the crippled, the blind and the mute; those seen by others as being punished by God.
As if to emphasize his point he turned to the crowd and asked them about St. John. He asked them what they had gone into the desert expecting (“What did you go out to the desert to see?”) This question brings our question into sharp focus; what do we expect of Christ? When we go to Mass and come away saying; “I didn’t get much out of that.” What had we gone to see? When we do God’s work and behave in ways we know God would approve and no one says “Thank you.” Or even worse, you are criticized for it. We must ask “What did we expect?” Did we expect angel choirs or loud hosannas, for doing as we have been asked?
The Gospel message is crystal clear today. The Lord asks us, during this our season of great expectation, what it is we expect. It is a difficult question for us but one we need to pray on. On this “Little Easter”, on this “Eighth Day” we pray that our hope is the hope God gives, not what the world gives. We also pray for the patience St. James mentions as we see the hope of eternal life dawn at the Nativity of the Lord.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used today is “Christ the Redeemer” by Andrea Del Sarto, c. 1511-1517
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10
The Prophet Isaiah envisions for his contemporaries the beauty of the land as the people of Israel return from the Babylonian exile. For later generations this is seen as a vision of the coming of the Messiah, who comes with healing hands to lift up the poor and those seen as punished by God.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
R. Lord, come and save us.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Psalm 146 is from the wisdom tradition. Here we are given a vision of God’s salvation. His saving power (envisioned in the oracle of Isaiah and fulfilled in Jesus the Christ) lifts up the poor and down trodden and heals those afflicted with every sort of malady.
Reading II James 5:7-10
The NAB footnote on this passage provides an excellent commentary with scriptural supports. “Those oppressed by the unjust rich are reminded of the need for patience, both in bearing the sufferings of human life (James 5:9) and in their expectation of the coming of the Lord. It is then that they will receive their reward (James 5:7-8, 10-11; cf Hebrews 10:25; 1 John 2:18).”
Gospel Matthew 11:2-11
In this part of St. Matthew’s Gospel, John the Baptist sends his disciples to question Jesus. He does so because his expectation of the Messiah is of one coming with power and majesty, “his winnowing fan will be in his hand”. In response the Lord directs them to see the Messiah as Isaiah’s oracle predicted (Isaiah 35:1-6). It can be seen as a warning not to disbelieve because the expectations of a “Royal Messiah” were not met.
The Gospel continues with the Lord turning to the crowd and praising St John’s role, likening him to Elijah who was to come, preparing the way for the Messiah. He concludes this passage with a statement about the reward given to those who hear and believe in the Kingdom of God.
Reflection:
The Gospel message summarizes the vision of both the incarnation of Jesus and the vision of his coming again. It also does one more very important thing; it asks a question that we must answer for ourselves. In the Gospel Jesus is speaking to the disciples of St. John the Baptist. They came to him with a rather insulting question. They ask him directly if he is the Messiah. As if to add injury, they finish their question with “…or should we look for another?”
The reason for this question goes back to what we heard just last week. Recall the words of St. John as he spoke about the Messiah: “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
John was expecting the Lord to come with authority and power like Elijah, calling down the wrath of God on those who opposed him. In a breath, the Lord changed everything. He told the disciples of John, quoting Isaiah’s vision, that he was the Messiah and they did not need to look elsewhere. He (St. John the Baptist) had just looked at the wrong prophecy. Justice for the unjust would come later, first, God’s love and the hope of things not seen must be brought to the poor, the crippled, the blind and the mute; those seen by others as being punished by God.
As if to emphasize his point he turned to the crowd and asked them about St. John. He asked them what they had gone into the desert expecting (“What did you go out to the desert to see?”) This question brings our question into sharp focus; what do we expect of Christ? When we go to Mass and come away saying; “I didn’t get much out of that.” What had we gone to see? When we do God’s work and behave in ways we know God would approve and no one says “Thank you.” Or even worse, you are criticized for it. We must ask “What did we expect?” Did we expect angel choirs or loud hosannas, for doing as we have been asked?
The Gospel message is crystal clear today. The Lord asks us, during this our season of great expectation, what it is we expect. It is a difficult question for us but one we need to pray on. On this “Little Easter”, on this “Eighth Day” we pray that our hope is the hope God gives, not what the world gives. We also pray for the patience St. James mentions as we see the hope of eternal life dawn at the Nativity of the Lord.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used today is “Christ the Redeemer” by Andrea Del Sarto, c. 1511-1517
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