3rd Sunday of Advent A

 3^rd Sunday of Advent A

Readings: Isaiah 35:1‑6, 10   James 5:7‑10   Matthew 11:2‑11

            “Are you the one who is to come or do we look for another?”   This is John the Baptist's question, when he hears “of the works of the Christ."  As we wait with John to hear of and experience the saving works performed by Jesus in fulfillment of the prophecies of the Book of Isaiah, let us pray for the coming of the Lord's justice in the words of the responsorial psalm. “Lord, come and save us./ The Lord God keeps faith forever,/ secures justice for the oppressed,/

gives bread to the hungry./ The Lord sets captives free” (Ps 146:6‑7).

            The first reading is a lyrical prophecy of the Lord's ransoming the Jewish exiles from Babylon and bringing them home to Zion "singing, crowned with everlasting joy."  This return will be accompanied by a transformation of "the desert and the parched land" of Judah into a verdant paradise. “They will bloom with abundant flowers,/ And rejoice with joyful song./ . . . They will see the glory of the Lord,/ The splendor of our God.” Prophetic voices in the community have the responsibility of preparing the discouraged exiles for God's wondrous saving deeds. They are to: “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.'. . .”  When the exiles are prepared for the Lord's action, they will be transformed into new life. “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” (Isa 35:5‑6).            

            The Letter of James exhorts us who are awaiting "the coming of the Lord" to "be patient."  It presents two models of waiting:  the hopeful patience of the farmer and the active preaching of the prophets.  During the winter and spring rains, the farmer patiently awaits the precious yield of the soil.  Likewise, James encourages Christians to "Make firm your hearts, because the coming of the Lord is at hand."  The prophets of old provide an example for those who are suffering for God's kingdom while awaiting God's judgment; they "spoke in the name of the Lord," and, as a result, suffered "hardships."                

            In the Gospel, John the Baptist is an example of such a prophet who suffered for preaching the coming of God's kingdom.   As we heard last week, he fearlessly called the hypocritical Pharisees and Sadducees to repentance (Matt 3:1‑12).  Now John has been imprisoned by Herod Antipas for criticizing his marriage to Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip.  And she will soon demand that Herod have John beheaded (see Matt 14:3‑12).  After the Baptist's messengers depart, Jesus testifies to John's unique role in the history of salvation.  He is the prophetic messenger, spoken of in Malachi, who would precede the coming of God's kingdom (see Mal 3:1; Ex 23:20). "What did you go out to the wasteland to see? A reed swayed by the wind?  Then what did you go to out to see?  Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are found 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 Baptizer."

            Despite John's greatness as the precursor of the Kingdom, Jesus ends by saying: "Yet the least born into the kingdom of God is greater than he."  John belonged to the time of preparation; Jesus is bringing the fulfillment of the Kingdom, but not by being a powerful military Messiah, nor by ruthlessly condemning the unrighteous.  The signs of Jesus' kingdom Jesus are the liberating ones spoken of in Isaiah 35. "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind recover their sight, cripples walk, lepers are cured, the deaf hear, dead are raised to life, and the poor have the good news preached to them. Blest is the one who finds no stumbling block in me."