The third Sunday of advent is called “Gaudete” which means rejoice. We are invited to rejoice because the Lord is coming. we are very happy in these days because we are preparing to celebrate Christmas, the birthday of Jesus Christ. Because of the joy and happiness we sing Gloria in today’s Mass. Otherwise we do not sing Gloria in Advent. Only on the third Sunday of Advent we sing Gloria in the holy Mass.
Jesus Christ was born as the greatest gift to the humans. The tradition of presenting gifts to the friends and relatives on Christmas originated from this experience of the greatest gift to the world, Jesus Christ. When we receive gifts and give gifts we think of the good news that Jesus preached. When we present a gift it is not important, how costly the gift is, but how much love and care we want to show. We share our happiness and joy through the gifts that we present. Gifts are signs of love, happiness, grate fullness, consideration and attention. It is mainly due to joy of the coming of Jesus on Christmas.
On the third Sunday of advent we become more aware of the happiness of Christmas. In reading from the gospel the story of John the Baptist is narrated who preached repentance. People asked John what could they do. John the Baptist asked them to share their possession. He preached the love of the neighbour. Many had asked him whether he could be the Messiah. John replied that he is not the Messiah, but he was the one who announced the coming of the Messiah and prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah.
John baptised with water and told them that Jesus Christ would baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire. What did John mean by baptism with fire? I think John meant by that the cleansing of the heart. When we are involved in these days different types of preparations for Christmas we think of giving gifts and different forms of feast celebrations, John the Baptist reminds us that an inner purification will be the biggest and greatest gift for Jesus. We should celebrate Christmas with a pure heart. Only then we could really be happy on Christmas.
We rejoice and are happy because as Christians we believe in Jesus and celebrate his birthday. We think of the different stations of the life of Jesus. Our biggest and most important feast is Christmas. When we consider all the days of a year the day of Christmas is the most importantly day for most of us. So I wish you and me an inner preparation for the celebrations of Christmas and wish you a calm, quiet and contemplative pre-Christmas hours.
Fr. Joseph Pandiappallil MCBS