Rejoice!

12-12-2021Weekly ReflectionFr. Anthony Okolo, C.S.Sp

Today is called Gaudete Sunday and the liturgy gives us the images of joy and rejoicing. In the first reading the prophet Zephaniah says “shout for joy, O daughter of Zion, sing joyfully, O Israel, be glad and exult with all your heart. The Lord has removed the judgment against you, He has turned away your enemies. You have no more misfortune to fear. Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged.” Amen.

One may ask the reason the Prophet gives the people such hope amidst all the unfaithfulness of the people. It was during the reign of King Josiah around 640-609 BC. The people of Judah and Jerusalem turned to the worship of false gods of the Assyrians. They committed all kinds of atrocities before God. Every level of the nation’s leadership was corrupt, including the officials of the royal administration, the judges, the priests and the prophets’ nation. Not even the devastation of the surrounding nations had been sufficient to call Judah back from their sinful ways. Thus, the prophet began with a threat of judgment on Jerusalem because of abandoning the true God in the worship of false gods. For Zephaniah, Yahweh’s judgment will extend to all creation. Foreign nations would be destroyed because of their godlessness and all living creatures will cease to exist. Soon after he prophesied this message of doom on Israel, He receives the prophecy of a promise of restoration for all those who repent of their sins. This became a source of great rejoicing and joy for the people. God is among His people; He will pour out His love upon His people. He will bring them back. This is the background to Zephaniah’s message of joy that we hear in the first reading of today.

In this same way, we are called to rejoice and shout for joy because the same God has promised us forgiveness of our sins and restoration of our lives in Christ. He promises us new lives in Him once we are able to decide to abide and live in His love. He restores the lives of those who sincerely repent of their sins. This is a message of hope for the people of God. We rejoice more because we are expecting the coming of a Messiah at Christmas and His coming will change our tears into joys and our sorrows into laughter. We are hopeful that the birth of the Messiah would usher in a new life for his people.

The same invitation to rejoice and shout for joy is given to us in the second reading. Paul says “Rejoice in the Lord always, I shall say it again rejoice”. And he goes on to say, have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. It is amazing to know that Paul makes this statement while in prison and was certain of death while the people of Philippians at that very moment were facing persecution and hardship. By saying let nothing trouble you, he is confirming to them that Christian joy is independent of all things on earth because it has its source in the continual presence of Christ. The Christian can never lose his joy because he can never lose Christ. Our joy is born out of the conviction of faith and consciousness of God’s love. You have nothing to worry about because God is already in our midst and He comes more intimately this season of advent in order to renew our lives.

In the Gospel the crowd, especially the elites, asked John the Baptist what they must do after hearing his preaching. He simply told them to share their lives with the ordinary people. He warns them against using their privileged position to exploit, intimidate or harass the people. As Living Liturgy puts it to us, “John comes to us this third week of Advent as the awakener of our sense of social justice, the one who points to the clutter of selfish concerns and materialism that can suffocate our practical love for our brothers and sisters in the stale air of indifference or greed”. We are equally called to allow the gospel message to speak to our hearts and spur us into action to change our ways and turn to God. Happy Sunday to you all.

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