Advent 3 - Year C - December 16, 2012
Text:  Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18; Canticle 9; Zephaniah 3:14-20                          Tinh Huynh+
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    The crowds ask John the Baptist, "What then should we do?"

     In the Name of God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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     Today we light the third candle of Advent, the candle of joy.

     As we await for the second coming of our Lord, we remind ourselves of the promise he gave -- the true and everlasting joy.

     Paul, in the Second Reading of today, says,

     "Rejoice in the Lord always... the Lord is near."

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     You may say, "Joy? ... That word is nice to hear.

     But, get real, and look around!"

     To many people, December is the worst time of the year.  The joyful songs of Christmas can remind them of their pains and sorrows.

     Can we ever find joy in this world?

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     If joy is mentioned to today's young people,

what would they say to us?  

    Most likely they will say, "Who cares? That is only for you to speak about in your church!"

    Joy?  Many of them would rather talk about the joy of destroying the virtual enemies in computer games. 

     To many people of our time, joy happens when something they acquire or achieve generates excitement.

     Perhaps joy is when we have in our hands something we really want,

            or when our sports team wins a game,

            or when at a party we see happy people,

            or when one finds a lover

            with promise to take away his or her loneliness.

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       Boredom is a serious problem of our time.

       Recently, at the confirmation class I ask the candidates, "What is the one thing you like about this life?"  The question seemed puzzling to them. 

       A life that lacks nothing can be boring.

       We constantly need something new to excite us.

       Not many of us care about the real needs of the soul.

       The Bible says that we are all like sheep that have gone astray.

 

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       Whether talking about joy is relevant or not,

 we humans always long for joy. (*)

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       Among the prophets in the Bible, John the Baptist was the most exciting one.

      John called his people to repent.

       Those who heard him speak included the rich and the poor,  and the well-educated and the not-so-well informed.

      Those who struggled with boredom came to hear him.

      Those afflicted by oppression were also there to listen.

      "The axe is lying at the root of the tree," said John.

       And the listeners asked, "What then should we do?"

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       What ever we do in our lives affects the soul.

       Sin can hinder joy.

       "Repent," said John.

       "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none...  "
       "Do likewise with food." said John.  "So much has been wasted!"
        "Do not throw away food!"

        "Share food with those who have nothing to eat."
        To those who collect taxes for the Romans, John said, "Stop being greedy. Be satisfied with the commission prescribed for you."  
        To the Roman soldiers, John said, "Repent from oppressing the powerless."

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       What about us?   What would John say to us?

       What are we to repent from?
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       Today's reading reminds us of our baptism.

       We bear the mark of Christ.

        If we have not been Christ-like in thought, word and deed, we have to repent.

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      Most of the time, we hear about our sins against God.   We emphasize holiness.

      We may have been very much preoccupied about going to heaven and about the after-life.

      But we need to think also about our offenses against humanity and nature.
     We have failed to see our brothers and sisters the way God sees them.
      We proclaim Christ's kingship over our lives, but we fail to do what Christ does, think what Christ thinks, and speak what Christ speaks.
     We must also repent our offenses against humans.
     We have failed, most of the time, to love the neighbor as ourselves.

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      Some years ago I saw on TV the story about a young man who was stranded for days in deep snow.

      He had driven his SUV through the mountains during a snow storm,

      and he got stuck.  

      He did all he knew about survival.

      He let the car engine run to provide heat.

      When it ran out of gas, he used a candle to keep warm.  

       Eventually, all the food was gone, and so was the candle.

       He was ready for death.

       Rescuers found him and saved him.
       As he prepared himself for death, he wrote a farewell note to his family and friends,and to anyone who would discover his body.
      The note reads,

      "At this moment, love is everything to me.

       I wish to say I love everyone.  I love all people."
       At that moment, the film of his life rolled backward.  

       To those whom he might have offended, he wished to apologize.  

       To those who happened to offend him,he wished to tell them he had forgiven them.

       He wished he had let go of anger and bitterness much earlier in life, since months and years before.

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       He repented about failing to love.

       In repentance he discovered love.

       When the end comes, love is the only thing that matters.

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       The crowds ask John the Baptist, "What then should we do?"

       We, too, ask him the same question.

       He would say to us the same.

       And he may add, "Repent about failing to love."

       Only with love are we made ready to meet our LORD,

            with joy,

            when he comes.  

           Amen.

 

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(*)  "Beneath all the great accomplishments of our time there is a deep current of despair."  Henri J.M. Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus -- Reflections on Christian Leadership, Crossroad, NY, Page 21.