Third Sunday of Advent – Gaudete Sunday

Zephaniah 3:14-18; Psalm – Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18

The third Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as ‘Gaudete Sunday’ for the readings speak of rejoicing. In our first reading from the prophet Zephaniah the prophet tells the people that the Lord will forgive his people and he will redeem them from their enemies. The Lord is in the midst of his people and he will rejoice in them. The Psalm is one of praise for God who is the strength of his people. In our second reading St Paul calls on us to be happy or to rejoice in the Lord for he is very near to his people. He calls on us to praise and thank God for all that he has done for us and continues to do for us. In the gospel today we see John the Baptist teaching the people and encouraging them to live what we call Christian lives – sharing with the poor and needy. Because of his teaching the people think that he is the Messiah but he tells them that he is not. John was the one who first brought the Good News to the people and we too are called to do the same. We have received many blessings from the Lord and today is an opportunity to reflect on those and to give thanks and praise to God for them. Having done so we must then go out and spread the Word of God to others in society so that they too may feel the presence of Christ this Christmas.

Monday of the Third Week of Advent. 

Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17; Psalm 24; Matthew 21:23-27

Our first reading today comes from the Old Testament Book of Numbers and recounts a poem by Balaam, son of Beor. In the poem Balaam recounts what the Lord tells him and he declares that one from the tribe of Jacob shall take the leadership and he will be a great king. In the gospel we see Jesus being challenged by the chief priests and the elders of the Temple. They want to know where he gets his authority from. We know that Jesus is a descendent of Jacob and so he is the great king spoken of in the first reading. However, he is also the Son of God and is himself God and there is no greater authority than this. The challenge for us today is to ask ourselves whether or not we really see him this way for this is one of the cornerstones of our faith.

Genesis 49:2, 9-10; Psalm 71; Matthew 1:1-17

The readings for these final days leading up to Christmas all set the scene for the birth of Christ. Today we read from the Book of Genesis – the first book of the Bible – and in it we see Jacob blessing his twelve sons prior to his death. Our passage comes from the blessing of his son Judah who will also be blessed by his own brothers. Jacob also says that the sceptre shall not pass from Judah until the one comes to whom it rightfully belongs. Our gospel text comes from St Matthew and presents the genealogy of Jesus Christ from Abraham. Judah was the great-grandson of Abraham and is one of the fore-fathers of Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is the one to whom the sceptre rightfully belongs. This helps to make sense of the readings of the past three weeks which spoke of a mighty king coming to rule the people and bring them peace. This person is Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 23:5-8; Psalm 71; Matthew 1:18-24

Today we turn to the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah which was put together in 605 BC and in our text we have a similar theme to yesterday’s text from Genesis. Today we are told that a descendent of King David will reign as true king. Having read the genealogy of Jesus yesterday we know that Jesus is a descendent of King David. Our gospel text tells us of how Joseph and Mary came to be together and the dilemma Joseph had when he discovered that Mary was already pregnant. We have in the text the Annunciation to Joseph in which he is told that this child is no ordinary child but one who will save people from their sins. Being a man of faith, Joseph heeds the dream and takes Mary as his wife. Joseph’s ‘yes’ to God is one we are called to have in our lives.

Judges 13:2-7, 24-25; Psalm 70; Luke 1:5-25

Our first reading today from the Book of Judges recounts the annunciation to the wife of Manoah of the tribe of Dan in which she is told that she would bear a son. This child was Samson who was a great champion against the Philistines. In the gospel we read of the annunciation to Zechariah, the priest, by the angel Gabriel. The angel tells him that Elizabeth, his wife and cousin of Mary, will bear a son despite her years. The angel tells Zechariah that he is to name the child John and that he will be great in the sight of the Lord bringing many people back to the Lord. Zechariah doubts what the angel says and loses the power of his speech as a result.

Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 23; Luke 1:26-38

In the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah we see King Ahaz refusing to put the Lord to the test. The Lord then gives the people a sign and the sign is that of a maiden with child. This child will be special and will be called ‘Immanuel.’ Over the past few days we have read of various annunciations to people by the Lord’s angel and all were about the birth of a child. Today we have the most important of those annunciations and this is to Mary. She is the maiden spoken of in the first reading and her child is to be great and is to be named ‘Jesus.’ Of importance in this text is the fact that Mary, despite being undoubtedly surprised by the visit, readily says ‘Yes’ to the angel’s word. This attitude of Mary, like Joseph’s own response to his annunciation, is the attitude we are all called to have as we approach the great season of Christmas – an attitude of openness and receptiveness to the will of God in our lives.

Songs 2:8-14 or Zephaniah 3:14-18; Psalm 32; Luke 1:39-45

Our first reading today comes from the Song of Songs which has often been seen as an allegory of the story of God and his people. Seeing it in this way the groom represents God and in our passage we see him inviting his beloved to come to him and to live with him in happiness. In the alternative reading from the Prophet Zephaniah the people are told to rejoice for the Lord is in their midst and that he has driven away their enemies and renewed them. Looking to the gospel text we see Elizabeth and her unborn son rejoicing when Mary and her unborn child come into their presence. In our gospel text we see Mary travelling to the hill country of Judah to be with her cousin, Elizabeth, and to rejoice in Elizabeth’s pregnancy. As soon as Elizabeth hears Mary’s voice the child in her womb leaps for joy – John has recognised who the child Mary is carrying is. At the same time Elizabeth acknowledges that Mary carries the Lord and that therefore she is most blessed.