Comfort & joy: Bring Christ to all

The season of Advent continues as the Sunday Mass readings turn our joyful gaze to God. Our joy clings to faith in what is anticipated and hoped for: the promise of a savior. As we ready ourselves for the celebration of Advent, we prepare our hearts for the light of Christ, his saving love and message of truth coming from heralding voices sent to prepare the way for our savior. 

Voice of comfort

The prophet Isaiah proclaims the message of “comfort” to the exiled people of Israel. Their captivity in Babylon has wearied their hearts. God gives comfort to his people in this message of hope. Isaiah encourages them to “shout from the mountain tops” so all can hear the good news resound. “Here is your God,” with power, strength and, like a shepherd, feeds, gathers, carries and leads his people. Isaiah tells of the voice who cries out from the desert to “prepare the way of the Lord.” A voice filled with hope. 

The Lord is coming. The One, anointed by God, the chosen one, filled with the Holy Spirit to bring gladness, healing, liberty and freedom to those who are poor, broken, held captive and imprisoned.

 Are we in need of comfort? What/who is holding us captive? What brokenness requires healing? Am I or someone I know experiencing imprisonment, isolation, despair? What is our poverty?  Where is our consolation? Do we hear God’s voice of comfort?

Voice of consolation

God’s consolation is present, yet at times we seek consolation in other sources. We are called to realize that our relief is found only in God. Our salvation rests in him. Hence, we seek the kindness of God and ask for salvation. St. Peter reminds us that God’s enduring promises are without fail. Most importantly, God is patient with us, abundantly patient. There are times we are held captive by our own action. We are caught up in sinfulness which binds us to the chains forged by decisions based on a self-centered mindset as opposed to our faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, God is with us, desiring our choice of repentance and answering the call to holiness and devotion.

Voice of John the Baptist

John the Baptist leaped for joy in his mother’s womb as he heard the voice of the mother of God. Later in life, his voice rang out through the gathered crowd. “Be ready. Stay alert. Repent. The one coming will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk 1:1-8). Advent is a time of reawakening, a time of openness to the power of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. 

St. John Paul II writes, “In Jesus’ words about the Comforter we hear an echo of the books of the Old Testament, especially the ‘Book of Israel’s Consolation’ contained in the writings gathered under the name of the prophet Isaiah: ‘Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God’ (General Audience, Wednesday, March 13, 1991).

In the midst of all the restlessness are we able to hear the voice crying out from the desert to prepare the way of the Lord, Jesus Christ? To prepare the way for humility, prepare the way for gladness, prepare the way for healing, for liberty, for freedom, for justice, for mercy, for comfort, for joy, for light, for truth, for faith, for hope and for love. Are we prepared and are we preparing others? What voice do we hear and what do we speak?

Voice of forgiveness

Advent is a perfect time to become who we ought to be, as St. Peter writes, holy and devoted, and to prepare for the one, who came, who is present, who will come again and who accompanies us on the path. Growth in holiness occurs when we choose God instead of sin. Thus, Advent is a penitential season. During an Advent homily, Pope Francis said, “And he (Jesus) said: I came for those in need of salvation, in need of healing. Jesus heals our sins. And along the way Jesus comes and forgives us  all of us sinners, we are all sinners  even when we make a mistake, when 

we commit a sin, when we sin. And this forgiveness that we receive in confession is an encounter with Jesus. We always encounter Jesus” (Jan. 13, 2013). The sacrament of reconciliation is the merciful consolation of our God, our saving truth.

Voice of joy: The mother of God

The Third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete (rejoice) Sunday. The readings sing out the message of our reason for joy in Christ Jesus. The Responsorial Psalm refrain is a passage from Isaiah 61, “My soul rejoices in my God,” while the verses are taken from Mary’s Magnificat written in the Gospel of Luke. A powerful meditation for us, Mary’s canticle is marked with humility, detachment and joy.

Pope Benedict XVI, while teaching on the Magnificat, quoting St. Ambrose, said, “Let us therefore accept the invitation that St. Ambrose, the great Doctor of the Church, addresses to us in his commentary on the text of the Magnificat:  ‘May Mary’s soul be in each one to magnify the Lord, may Mary’s spirit be in each one to rejoice in God … each, in fact, welcomes the word of God within. Mary’s soul magnifies the Lord and her spirit rejoices in God because, consecrated in soul and spirit to the father and to the son, she adores with devout affection one God, from whom come all things and only one Lord, by virtue of whom all things exist.’”

He goes on to say, “In this marvelous commentary on the Magnificat by St Ambrose, indeed, each one intimately welcomes the word of God.” Thus, interpreting Our Lady’s very words, the holy doctor invites us to ensure that the Lord can find a dwelling place in our own souls and lives. Not only must we carry him in our hearts, but we must bring him to the world, so that we too can bring forth Christ for our epoch (time). Let us pray to the Lord to help us praise him with Mary’s spirit and soul and to bring Christ back to our world.” A great way to prepare the way is to bring Christ to the world. Go out!

Voice of prayer

Another form of preparation is prayer. St. Paul invites all to “Rejoice always and pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks” (1 Thes 5:16-24).

How are we expected to rejoice, pray and give thanks when most of what we are accustomed to is modified because of the pandemic, natural disasters, economic crisis, family tensions, national agitation? We are called to find OUR voice in the midst of change and open our ears, hearts and minds to the voice of God. The Lord speaks to us constantly from the noise of the day to the quiet of our soul. During Advent, we are invited to renew our faith, restore our hope and center our lives on the love of God, revealed by Jesus, the WAY, TRUTH and LIFE. 

Moved by the Holy Spirit, let us unite our prayer, find our voice, raise our eyes and proclaim with joyful hope, “Rejoice in the Lord, always: again, I say, rejoice. Indeed, Lord is near. Prepare the way of the Lord.”

I lift my heart up to you, Lord, to thank you for the blessings you shower on me each day. You are the ‘joy of my soul.’ I know that in your great love, I am held and protected by you. I pray and listen to the good news you send; I ask and feel the healing. I am freed by you from the things in this world that let me hide from you.

I rejoice, I rejoice, down to my soul. Help me to prepare my heart to be open and able to receive your immense love. Amen (Source: Creighton University, Online Ministry, Third Sunday of Advent, Daily Prayer)

Dow is the director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis for the Diocese of Baton Rouge.