Rejoice in the Lord always! I repeat, rejoice! The Lord is near (Phil 4:4ff).

 

Rejoice in the Lord always! I repeat, rejoice! The Lord is near (Phil 4:4ff).

Let us rejoice, singing joyfully, on this Third Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of joy! Joy and peace reach us, because the Lord is near. By rejecting self-referentiality, we will make room for Jesus to be among us. We are invited to welcome the message of hope and commitment that John the Baptist brings us in today’s liturgy.

First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18

As a joyful and prayerful community, let us welcome the Word of God. It points to the presence of the Lord in our midst and, through John the Baptist, presents us with a proposal of life and salvation.

A reading from the prophecy of Zephaniah – 14Sing for joy, O daughter of Zion; shout for joy, O people of Israel! Rejoice and be glad with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15The Lord has revoked the sentence against you; he has driven away your enemies; The Lord is the King of Israel, he is in your midst; you will never fear evil again. 16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not be afraid, Zion; do not be discouraged! 17 The Lord your God is in your midst, the mighty warrior who saves you; he will rejoice over you with love; he will rejoice over you with praise, 18 as on a day of celebration.” – The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: Isaiah 12

Sing with joy, O inhabitants of Zion, / for great among you is the Holy God of Israel!

1. Here is God my Savior; I trust and will not be afraid; / the Lord is my strength, my praise and my salvation. / You will draw water with joy from the springs of salvation / and in that day you will say, “Give thanks to the Lord. – R.

2. Call upon his holy name, proclaim his wonders, / proclaim among the peoples that his name is exalted. – R.

3. Give thanks with singing to our God, who has performed wonders and wonders, / proclaim his great deeds throughout the earth! / Sing joyfully, you inhabitants of Zion, / for great among you is the holy God of Israel!” – R.

Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7

A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians – Brothers and sisters, 4rejoice in the Lord always; I say again, rejoice. 5Let your goodness be known to all people, for the Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but present your needs to God in prayer and petition, accompanied by thanksgiving. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – The Word of the Lord.

Gospel: Luke 3:10-18

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The Spirit of the Lord has anointed me; / he has sent me to the poor to proclaim good news! (Isaiah 61:1) – R.

A reading from the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke – At that time, 10the crowds were asking John, “What should we do?” 11John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with someone who has none; and whoever has food should do the same.” 12Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they asked John, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13John replied, “Do not charge more than the amount established.” 14There were also soldiers who asked him, “And what should we do?” John replied, “Do not take money by force from anyone or make false accusations; be content with your wages.” 15The people were in expectation, and everyone wondered in their hearts if John might be the Messiah. 16So John told them all, “I baptize you with water, but one who is mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17He will come with his winnowing fork in his hand; he will clear his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 18And in many other ways John preached the Good News to the people. – The Word of salvation.

Reflection:

The crowds realized that John was no ordinary preacher; he made a clear demand, proposing a change in personal attitudes and social relationships. He was the bearer of the Good News of God. He was at the service of the Messiah, whom he announced was near. Willing to change their lives, various categories of people came to John and asked him, “What should we do?” John adapted his answer according to the person’s situation or profession (the common people, tax collectors, soldiers) and recommended that they practice justice, that is, carry out their work in a just, honest and God-pleasing way. When asked if he was the Messiah, he firmly replied that he was not. The Messiah would come soon and would baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire.” With the purifying fire and the Spirit that gives life.