Texts taken from the Missal “On Your Word” November-December 2023

3rd Sunday of Advent (B) - «Gaudete»
3rd week, alternate cycle

FIRST READING

From the book of the prophet Isaiah (Is 61:1-2, 10-11)
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. I rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul exults in my God, because he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns himself with a diadem and as a bride adorns herself with jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes its seeds to sprout, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. - The word of God.

Commentary on the first reading

The prophet Isaiah here speaks of a person who declares himself “anointed.” It can only be the king, whose enthronement ritual took place precisely through ritual anointing. But the priests of ancient Israel were also consecrated with perfumed oil, for service at the altar and to affirm before everyone their “sacredness.” Thus, the person being discussed is presented as king and priest. To these two functions is added that of prophet, because it is said that he is sent into the world to bring good news. All this is naturally fulfilled in Christ; he is indeed the eternal king, the one high priest of the new covenant, and also the one true interpreter of the Word of God, since he himself is the Logos, the incarnate Word. This threefold function continues today in the Church: through Baptism, a person is anointed with sacred chrism and, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, shares in Christ's threefold function: the baptized person too is king, priest, and prophet, in their own sphere and in their own way.

SECOND READING

From the first letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians  (1 Thess 5:16-24)
Brothers and sisters, rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophecies. Test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace sanctify you completely, and may your whole person, spirit, soul, and body, be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this! - The word of God.

Commentary on the second reading

In three simple expressions, Saint Paul defines the whole Christian life. First: “Rejoice always”; second: “Pray without ceasing”; and third: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” These are three absolutes. How is it possible to rejoice always? How is it possible to pray without ceasing? And how is it possible to give thanks in all circumstances? Yet we must take these words literally and not adapt them to suit ourselves. Rejoicing always depends on us, because everything, even what is painful, can be transformed into an event of grace if seen in God's will. Praying without ceasing does not mean saying prayers even while working or eating; it means always living in the divine presence and having the inner disposition of communion with the risen Christ, maintaining a certain recollection everywhere. Giving thanks to God in everything means having the word of praise readily on our lips and in our hearts, and turning to the Father, giving him glory regardless of the external events that happen to us. The Holy Spirit makes all this possible; what is required of us is complete faith in God's work within us.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John (Jn 1:6-8, 19-28)
A man came, sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. This is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He admitted and did not deny it. He admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he said. “Are you the prophet?” “No,” he answered. Then they said to him, “Who are you? So that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said.” Those who had been sent were from the Pharisees. They asked him and said to him, “Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them: “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who comes after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. - The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the day

John the Baptist defines himself as “voice.” His entire mission is to point to the Savior present and active in the world. He has great credibility because he lives an extraordinary ascetic life, but when he points to Christ, few of his disciples follow the Lamb of God, and the reason is that Jesus' teaching is too demanding. You could listen to the Baptist and then return home admiring him, but no one dreamed of living his overly austere life, whereas Christ's proposal, much simpler, is actually very demanding, because it requires conversion of the heart and a change in the way one lives, while each person remains in their own condition and environment. The voice in the wilderness says to follow Jesus, which means loving God and neighbor, praying, being humble, good, and charitable. This entails breaking with the world of selfishness and sin, and few are willing to let their hearts be changed. It is easier to admire the Baptist and keep one's distance. Kierkegaard writes: “I believe that if one day I become a Christian in earnest, I will have to be ashamed above all of not having become one sooner, but of having tried every escape route.”