Gaudete in Domino

12-16-2018Weekly ReflectionFr. Julius Kundi

In the church’s Latin days, the third Sunday of Advent is always called "Gaudete Sunday”, and its message is comfort and joy (gaudete means rejoice). We are urged not to worry, for the Lord is near. Yes, don't worry be happy! With St. Paul, “There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving”. We need not wait until after God has granted our requests before saying thanks. Even as we ask, we should already be grateful.

Today we will take St. Paul's words more seriously, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice” or as another translation has it, “I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness" (Phil 4:4). Notice where he says we will find our happiness, “in the Lord.” We will find our happiness by living the Christian life.

Again consider the awesome words of the prophet Zephaniah: “The Lord your God is in your midst…He will exult with joy over you, He will renew you by his love, He will dance with shouts of joy for you, as on a day of festival”.

Here, it's God who rejoices over us. Imagine God dancing graciously over what He has achieved in you. A people renewed by His love!

There is now a common idea that religion hinders one’s freedom, that religion cramps one’s lifestyle, that it is an oppressive force. Some people are even ashamed to talk about religion to each other or their friends. Some believe their reputation would suffer a big blow if it were known that they had strong faith so they hide it. Some people say they would rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. This is not true. In fact, far from hindering us or cramping us in any way, living with a strong faith in God brings us the true happiness we cannot find elsewhere. This we know and glory in. God and God alone is our source of happiness.

However, what we can consider to be the greatest danger to peace in society is if unbridled selfishness becomes our way of life, and not religion or God. The WAY preached by John the Baptist was to form a sharing, caring community. That "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; andwhoever has food must share with those that have none". Unfortunately, we are sometimes passive about this. Instead, we pay more attention by seeing our neighbors as competitors and try to outdo them in status, lifestyle, travel, conspicuous spending and housing quality. Such self-seeking can give surfacesatisfaction but not deep and lasting joy. Materialism can easily make us forget our spiritual identity.

Therefore, with St Francis of Assisi, the most joyful of saints, we too can pray: "Lord, make us channels of your peace. For it is in giving that we receive.” Indeed, the truth remains that our best joy comes when we’re not thinking about ourselves at all, but trying to give a helping hand in the name of God.

May God bless us to communicate joy again to our broken world.

Fr. Julius

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