Sunday Reflections: Third Sunday of Advent (Year B)

Third Sunday of Advent (Year B)

Is. 61:1-2,10-11; 1Thess 5:16-24; Jn 1:6-8,19-28

image courtesy: Mangalore Diocese

Story:

A certain monastery discovered that it was going through a crisis. Some of the monks left, no new candidates joined them, and people were no longer coming for prayer and consultation as they used to. The few monks that remained were becoming old and depressed and bitter in their relationship with one another. The abbot heard about a holy man, a hermit living alone in the woods and decided to consult him. He told the hermit how the monastery had dwindled and diminished and now looks like a skeleton of what it used to be. Only seven old monks remained. The hermit told the abbot that he has a secret for him. One of the monks now living in his monastery is actually the Messiah, but he is living in such a way that no one could recognize him.

With this revelation the abbot goes back to his monastery, summons a community meeting and recounts what the holy hermit told him. The aging monks look at each other in unbelief, trying to discern who among them could be the Christ. Could it be Brother Mark who prays all the time? But he has this holier-than-thou attitude toward others. Could it be Bother Joseph who is always ready to help? But he is always eating and drinking and cannot fast. The abbot reminded them that the Messiah has adopted some bad habits as a way of camouflaging his real identity. This only made them more confused and they could not make a headway figuring out who was the Christ among them. At the end of the meeting what each one of the monks knew for sure was that any of the monks, excepting himself, could be the Christ.

From that day, however, the monks began to treat one another with greater respect and humility, knowing that the person they are speaking to could be the very Christ. They began to show more love for one another, their common life became more brotherly and their common prayer more fervent. Slowly people began to take notice of the new spirit in the monastery and began coming back for retreats and spiritual direction. Word began to spread and, before you know it, candidates began to show up and the monastery began to grow again in number as the monks grew in zeal and holiness. All this because a man of God drew their attention to the truth that Christ was living in their midst as one of them.

Message:

Christmas is nothing but a deepest realization that God is with us. This is the joy that we are called to celebrate today. The question arises here what kind of joy we can feel within us in this time of pandemic?

Yes, dear friends, the year 2020 was not so kind to us. We are all aware of what we have gone through this year. At this point we now turn to our God who fills us with hope. We need to recall and recollect all the blessings that we have had throughout this year. The greatest blessing could be the good health that we are enjoying now after having got infected with Covid-19. There could be more when we look at the year in the silence of our heart. 

Let us be a joyful witnesses of the gospel, because we have our God with us. 

(You are most welcome to add your comments and reflections below)

Happy Gaudete Sunday