Third Sunday of Advent [A] – December 15, 2019 – Matthew 11:2-11

Today, we are going to see something different in the Church. Yes, the priests are not wearing a purple vestment, but a rose liturgical vestment. It is not because the priests are mistaken or want to make a fashion statement. It is because we are entering the third Sunday of Advent, also known as, the Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” is a Latin word meaning “rejoice!”. This color also symbolizes the joyful atmosphere. But, why do we need to celebrate Gaudete Sunday?

The first reading from Isaiah [33:1-6] speaks about the joy of all creations when the Lord comes. Not only men but all natures, animals, plants, even rivers, will rejoice before the Lord. While it is true that Advent is a season of expectation and preparation for the coming of the Lord, Gaudete Sunday does not break the general mood of Advent, but rather it gives us the right direction.

When we are waiting for something, there are two reactions. The first one is to complain and to be disappointed. it is like when we are ready to board the airplane, and suddenly the crew announces that there is a delay. We need to wait, and we wait in annoyance. We get disappointed because we are impatient and expecting things to happen according to our plans.

From today’s Gospel, John was in prison, and he knew that his time was short. As the one who prepared for the coming of Messiah, John knew that Jesus was the Christ, but Jesus seemed not to behave like a Messiah John expected. He was waiting for someone brought divine judgment, but Jesus was rather different. Jesus then had to explain what kind of Messiah He is: One who brings mercy, love and joy to world. From here, we discovered that John’s personal expectation hinders him to see that the One he has expected has come.

Sometimes, we wait for an answer to our prayers, but after all the novenas, all the rosaries, all the way of the cross, and all the masses, we do not get the answer. Sometimes, we are expecting that our lives will get better, but the things are getting worse. Sometimes, we are hoping for healing and fast recovery someone we love, but things just do not go the way we want it. The more we expect, the more we get disappointed.

To counter this, we come to the second response in waiting. We can also wait in joy. It is like a mother who is expecting her baby. It is certainly a period of waiting, but the mother was anticipating it with joy. Like an expectant mother, we can wait for the Lord in joy, and like the pregnant woman, the key to joyful expectation is when we are aware that we are waiting something or something we love, and one who we expect has actually come.

I do believe that God always answers our prayers, but the problem is that we do not want to listen to His answers. When we pray, we often pray that our will be done, and not His will be done. This is the reason why we fail to see God and His abundant blessings around us. Indeed, in this Advent season, we are preparing for the coming of Jesus, but this season also we rejoice because Jesus has come in His unexpected and surprising ways. We cannot be grateful and joyful when we are able to see Jesus comes in our daily lives.

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP