Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year A

When I was growing up there was a popular movement of bumper sticker wisdom and spirituality. By this I mean pithy statements on stickers placed on the bumpers or back windows of cars. I think it is fair to say that this has dwindled over the last few years. One of the bumper stickers that remains fixed in my mind is, “Jesus is the Answer!” I’m sure none of us would want to openly disagree with that statement, but if we were honest, we would say that it calls for some interrogation and explanation. In what sense is Jesus the answer?

You see it is too easy to just say that Jesus is the answer. To claim that Jesus is the answer without really challenging ourselves in terms of what it means, and how we are to respond, is to be superficial and to not engage with the real questions that fill our lives. The truth is that all of us are looking for answers to the big questions of life.

In today’s Gospel passage, John the Baptist, the fiery prophet who preached in the wilderness and announced the coming of the Messiah, and then who points out Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, is now in prison. Either he is having second thoughts and doubting himself, or he just wants to make sure, so he sends his disciples to Jesus to ask, “Are you he who is to come, or shall we wait for another?” We could paraphrase him in the words, “Are you the answer?”

John may have been expecting, as many of his time were, a military messiah who would overthrow the Romans. It is quite possible that he expected a Messiah who would come in power and divine judgement. And so he asks, “Are you he who is to come, or shall we wait for another? The words, “he who is to come” may well have been code at that time for the Messiah.

Jesus’ answer to John’s disciples is to express his identity in terms of healing, raising the dead and Good News for the poor. He is saying that mercy and compassion are the key to his identity as Messiah, not judgement, vengeance, and wrath. In his reply Jesus refers to the messianic prophecies in the book of Isaiah, which we heard in our first reading, to identify himself as the Messiah. These were prophecies that John the Baptist would have been very familiar with. And Jesus adds: “Blessed is he who takes no offence at me.” In other words, blessed are those who are not scandalized by this vision of being the Messiah.

The first reading from the prophet Isaiah, is a call to rejoice. Isaiah speaks of the coming Messiah and the signs that will accompany him. Isaiah says that the eyes of the blind shall be opened; and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped; the lame shall leap like a deer; and the tongues of the dumb shall sing for joy. These of course, are the very signs that Jesus performs.

It’s almost as if Isaiah cannot contain himself in the joy he expresses at the coming of the Messiah. He says the desert and the dry land shall rejoice, and the wilderness shall rejoice and bloom. As we prepare for the coming of the Messiah again this Christmas, we can consider what are the desert places of our hearts. What is dry and barren in our lives? What needs to bloom in our lives? What do we hope for? What needs renewal and new life?

Essentially, the theme of this Gaudete Sunday of Advent is “rejoicing”. On one level, we rejoice because the celebration of the birth of Jesus, our Saviour, is now very close. But on a more significant level we are called to rejoice because of whom it is that we are celebrating. To know Jesus, is to celebrate with joy. With St Paul in his letter to the Philippians, we say that nothing can outweigh or surpass the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus as our Lord.

The Good News of this Gospel passage for today is that we can see who Jesus is and what he is to us, in his ministry.

The Gospel accounts are always to be read on multiple levels. It is true that Jesus did indeed give sight to the blind, open the ears of the deaf, loosen the tongues of the dumb, cleanse the lepers, cause the lame to walk and raise the dead to life. The Gospel narratives are full of merciful encounters between Jesus and individuals who were suffering in one way or another. But at the same time, we need to read these encounters on another level, a level that affects us in our spiritual lives every day and especially now in this Advent season.

Jesus comes to open our spiritual eyes, to increase our faith. Isn’t it true that we and others around us are often spiritually blind? We fail to see the truth or give ourselves to the truth or live the truth. Our faith is weak and unpractised; we don’t allow God to help us to see as he sees, to help us to see with the eyes of faith. Jesus comes to open our spiritual ears to hear Good News, to give us the message of healing and peace. Isn’t it true that we and others around us are often spiritually deaf? We fail to listen to the Word of God and put it into practice. We prefer our own ways of doing things. We try to be in control of our own lives.

Isn’t it true that we are sometimes spiritually paralysed or perhaps even spiritually dead. Perhaps we are overwhelmed by our own sin and guilt. Perhaps we have separated ourselves from God. Jesus comes to raise us from our paralysis and death. His forgiveness and mercy give us the hope of a new beginning and new life in God.

I think it is fair to say that when John the Baptist received this message from Jesus, he must have understood the answer loud and clear. Jesus was indeed affirming his messianic identity. Jesus was assuring him that everything was proceeding according to God’s plan as prophesied by Isaiah.

As during this Advent season, we look to the second coming of Jesus and remember the longing of Israel for the first coming of the Messiah, let us remember that God is always more large-hearted than we can ever comprehend. In Jesus we see that God is scandalously good to us. Let’s allow him to heal us, forgive us, be compassionate to us.

Jesus really is the answer to life’s most challenging questions. Jesus answers who we are, why we are, the meaning and purpose of our existence, the fulfilment of our deepest longings and desires. He is the remedy for our woundedness and spiritual sickness. Only Jesus Christ can break the enslaving chains of sin. He alone can speak peace to the human heart, strengthen the weak, and give life to those who are spiritually dead.

What do we have to do? How do we respond to this scandalous love of Jesus? Don’t be afraid. Step forward to welcome him. Receive him with joy. We can open ourselves to his healing and forgiveness. We can accept Jesus as Saviour and give our hearts to him