The Lord Is Near

 

Matthew 11: 2-11

² When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

⁴ Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy^[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. ⁶ Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

⁷ As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.’

¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

In two weeks we will be celebrating Christmas. We can't wait.  In anticipation of this we rejoice and the priest dons pink, a half-way color between the purple of Advent and the white of Christmas. Our entrance antiphon bids us to rejoice, not once but twice.  Our Gospel passage gives us the testimony of John the Baptist who defines Jesus by his actions: "the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed."  Jesus, in turn praises John, the prophet and messenger sent to prepare his way.  We are reminded over and over again, that truly God is with us, even in the most demanding and unlikely circumstances, such as our world today: a war in Ukraine,a violence in our cities, shrinking church membership, higher prices for everything, etc...This is the world Jesus came to be part of and to save.May we do what we can to prepare his way. and let us rejoice, for he is near.

Bro. Rene

God of our hope, on this third Sunday of Advent we light the pink candle of joy, for the dawn of our salvation is near at hand! Anoint our hearts with your glad tidings of the coming of our Savior, that we might—with Notre Dame Our Mother—proclaim the greatness of the Lord. For our Lord comes to dwell with us, to set us free from all that would dare to quench the Spirit, and to announce again a year of favor from the Lord. In joyous hope, we make our prayer in Christ our Savior. Amen

 Rev. Lou DelFra, C.S.C.