Waiting In Joyful Anticipation
1. There Shall Be No Poor Among You
2. Joy in the Lord’s Coming
Introduction
1. There Shall Be No Poor Among You.
Among the main signs which Jesus quotes about his being the long expected Messiah is that he brought the Good News to the poor. The prophets of the Old Testament had said that the Saviour would do this. Even in the Law it had already been said “There shall be no poor among you.” The poor were Jesus’ great concern. We are disciples of Jesus. How much do we reach out to the poor like him? How many poor are there still among us? Let us ask our Lord in this Eucharist to make us aware of the poverty around us and to make us signs of his presence to the poor.
2. Joy in the Lord’s Coming
Where there exist people hope, there is always a spirit of eager anticipation. The waiting for something great to happen brings with it a lively joy, sometimes greater than the possession of what we had been waiting for. Our joy during this Advent season comes from our awareness that the Lord is already with us and if we let him, he will even become nearer to us when we let him make us more like him. We welcome Jesus here among us.
First Reading: Joy to Those Who Suffer
Through his prophet, God promises that he himself will come to set his people free. Jesus will bring this hope and joy to the poor and those who suffer.
1 Reading: Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10
The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendour of our God. Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10.
R. (cf. Is 35:4) Lord, come and save us. or: R. Alleluia.
The LORD God keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free. R.
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers. R.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. R.
Second Reading: Be Patient: The Lord is Coming
James encourages the community, especially the poor: Do not become bitter but be patient. The Lord will save you soon.
2 Reading: James 5:7-10
Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates. Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Alleluia: Is 61:1 (cf. in Lk 4:18)
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: The Good News Proclaimed to the Poor
Jesus brings God’s love to the poor and to those who suffer; in this way he fulfills what the prophet had said about the coming of God’s new world.
Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11
When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.” As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Commentary
Some people are likely to imagine salvation and overcoming their own difficulties as a dramatic and spectacular event. Today Jesus tells his friends not to look for grand external signs, expect someone very well dressed, or a miracle worker as their saviour. Rather, he says, look to see where the signs of salvation are: how many people can see because you give them good advice; how many people can hear because you gave them a good example and spoke to them with love and without recriminations; how many persons are healed of their painful memories because you had the patience and compassion to listen to them and to, lovingly, give them hope, and a helping hand.
When we are told today in the first reading that the desert will bloom, it is not said that this will happen overnight and without anyone doing anything, that is, without any water or nourishment. We are told we need to wait patiently and seek the signs of life and hope given to all of us through patience to support difficulties calmly and peacefully, and the active hope that Jesus will come, not as a great and spectacular sign but rather as a proclamation of hope, light, comfort, and healing for the poor and those who suffer.
Blessing
God has shown us in Jesus
his concern for all that is weak and wounded.
If Jesus is alive among us,
he wants to extend this care through us.
May the Lord continue to come in our world
through our love and compassion,
and may God bless you for this task:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us be each other’s support and joy today.
R/ Thanks be to God.