Sunday of Rejoicing

Sunday, 11 December 2016 3rd Sunday of Advent 1st Reading: Is 35:1–6a, 102nd Reading: Jas 5:7-10Gospel: Mt 11:2–11

When John the Baptist heard in prison about the activities of Christ, he sent a message by his disciples, asking him: “Are you the one who is to come or should we expect someone else?”

Jesus answered them, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are brought back to life and good news is reaching the poor. And how fortunate is the one who does not take offense at me.”

As the messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “When you went out to the desert, what did you expect to see? A reed swept by the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? People who wear fine clothes live in palaces. What did you actually go out to see? A prophet? Yes, indeed, and even more than a prophet. He is the man of whom Scripture says: I send my messenger ahead of you to prepare the way before you.

I tell you this: no one greater than John the Baptist has come forward among the sons of women, and yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater.

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)

John the Baptist seemed to have very little actual knowledge about Jesus because he sent his followers to Jesus to confirm his identity. Jesus on the other hand knew John the Baptist to be the man “of whom Scripture says: I send my messenger ahead of you to prepare the way before you.”

John the Baptist had an idea of the Messiah for whose coming he was preparing the people through Baptism in water. But he did not know the person yet. Thus when he heard rumors about a miracle worker preaching in Galilee he sent his followers to check on his identity. We credit him for the effort of seeking him out. However, Jesus did not give a straight answer but enumerated works that coincided with the works of a Messiah as foretold. John the Baptist recognized these as reliable credentials.

Today’s Gospel message sits well with the third Sunday of Advent’s theme of rejoicing, symbolized by the pink candle of the Advent wreath we light today. True joy means not just knowing Jesus in theory but going out to meet him in person in the poor. Each year we have four Sundays of Advent to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Nobody in history better prepared for this coming than John the Baptist. As he went out of his way to know the person of Jesus, so may we strive to acquire full knowledge of him by embracing him in the “least of our brothers and sisters”. –(Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM., MAPM., MMExM., REB., Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com.

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