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The joy of Advent shines forth with an inspiring message of hope and encouragement in today’s readings, urging us to rejoice and be happy because the Lord is near.
It tells us of our Christian vocation to radiate this joy, however, rejoicing is not normally the hallmark of being a Catholic. A lot of the time we associate the Gospel message of Jesus carrying His Cross and remembering His Passion of pain and suffering. However, what did Jesus say just before His Ascension into Heaven, ‘all these things I have spoken to you, that my joy might be in you, and your joy be complete.’
We were all created for happiness. It is why we spend our lives searching and striving to attain it. Sometimes this happiness seems to escape us as we go searching for it in the wrong places. Our greatest mistake is to look for it in material things, but all the money in the world cannot purchase happiness. Christian joy is something deeper and richer, it comes from an awareness that God is with us and produces a contentment of inner peace that cannot be taken from us. Friendship with God is the source of Christian joy. No trials can drown this joy since it is born of faith. On the first Christmas day when God came down in the flesh, Jesus filled the world with glad tidings of great joy. His life was geared towards God the Father in joy, prayer and thanksgiving. We can be caught up with all our daily problems and fail to reflect upon the joy of that marvellous truth that:
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‘God so loved the world that he gave his only Son and whoever believes in him, might not die, but may have eternal life.’ (Jn 3:16)
In the Gospel today, John the Evangelist, introduces us to John the Baptist as a witness to the coming of Christ. We hear the delegation committee coming from Jerusalem to ask John who he is, in order to find out whether John is one of the end-times figures whom the Jews are expecting. They asked him, are you the Messiah? Are you Elijah? Are you a Prophet? John responds by saying ‘no’ to all three questions and replies back saying ‘I am the voice of the one crying out in the desert, make straight the way for the Lord.’
However, as we know, John the Baptist is described in the synoptic Gospels, from the lips of Jesus, who speaks about him as Elijah, in the sense of acting in the spirit and power of Elijah. Also, Jesus speaks about John the Baptist in Matthew’s Gospel, saying: ‘Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not been anyone greater than John the Baptist.’ (Matthew 11:11)
With John’s response of saying ‘no’, he is pointing towards the dignity of the one who is to come and the fact that he himself is not worthy to undo the strap of his sandals.
Charity is so important at this time, as there is no greater proof of love than to give ourselves to others who are in need. Christmas joy cannot be complete unless we show love and charity, especially to those who have nothing to give back to us in return.
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The happiest of people are those who are doing the most for others, and the day will arrive when they will be greeted by the Lord with these words: ‘Well done good and faithful servant, come and join in your master’s happiness.’
I would like to end with the words from one of our favourite comedians of our time, Ken Dodd. The tune that he ends all his shows on, by singing:
“Happiness, Happiness, the greatest gift that I possess, I thank the Lord that I’ve been blessed, with more than my share of happiness.”
Rev. Fr Philip Wrigley's Blog 