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Gospel of John 1:6-8, 19-28
Some Pharisees were
also sent.
They asked him,“Why then do you
baptize
if you are not the
Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them,“I baptize with
water; but there is one
among you whom you do not recognize,the one who is
coming after me,
whose sandal strap
I am not worthy to untie.”
On Gaudete or "Rejoice" Sunday, we light the pink candle on the Advent wreath. Jesus will soon be born! It's time to be joyful as we continue our Advent preparations....
John the Baptist once again appears in the gospel readings. As the herald of the coming Messiah, and the last of the Old Testament prophets, he plays a significant role in salvation history. He patiently testifies in front of the priests and Levites that he is not the Christ. John the Baptist is the voice crying out in the desert making way for the One coming after him. This mystery Messiah is alive and in human flesh.
Who is He and what is He all about? John the Baptist knows, but it's not yet time for His name to be revealed.
I imagine as John baptizes each and every person in the Jordan River he exhibits a joy that is contagious, bringing people from far away lands just to experience his healing touch and unusual charisma. This son of a high priest sure does seem to know a lot of things that are not well understood.
How can we be joyful in our own lives? First and foremost, we must find inner joy through Jesus Christ. Life itself is not always joyful. We may experience chronic illness, addictions, financials woes, or marriage problems. We may think there is simply no room for joy in our hearts when everything appears so wretched. This is when that inner joy comes in. This is a joy grounded and rooted in Christ. We hand over our burdens. We pray for relief. We immerse ourselves regularly in the Holy Sacraments so that we open our hearts to Christ's unconditional love. From that love springs forth joy!
Pope Francis recently made the comment: "We've never seen a sad saint!" He encourages all of the faithful to remain joyful. I know whenever I'm feeling down, I just look at a picture of Pope Francis. Just seeing his kind and jovial face makes me smile with joy!
Rejoice in the Lord!
-J.
John the Baptist once again appears in the gospel readings. As the herald of the coming Messiah, and the last of the Old Testament prophets, he plays a significant role in salvation history. He patiently testifies in front of the priests and Levites that he is not the Christ. John the Baptist is the voice crying out in the desert making way for the One coming after him. This mystery Messiah is alive and in human flesh.
Who is He and what is He all about? John the Baptist knows, but it's not yet time for His name to be revealed.
I imagine as John baptizes each and every person in the Jordan River he exhibits a joy that is contagious, bringing people from far away lands just to experience his healing touch and unusual charisma. This son of a high priest sure does seem to know a lot of things that are not well understood.
How can we be joyful in our own lives? First and foremost, we must find inner joy through Jesus Christ. Life itself is not always joyful. We may experience chronic illness, addictions, financials woes, or marriage problems. We may think there is simply no room for joy in our hearts when everything appears so wretched. This is when that inner joy comes in. This is a joy grounded and rooted in Christ. We hand over our burdens. We pray for relief. We immerse ourselves regularly in the Holy Sacraments so that we open our hearts to Christ's unconditional love. From that love springs forth joy!
Pope Francis recently made the comment: "We've never seen a sad saint!" He encourages all of the faithful to remain joyful. I know whenever I'm feeling down, I just look at a picture of Pope Francis. Just seeing his kind and jovial face makes me smile with joy!
Rejoice in the Lord!
-J.
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