Art Thou He?

GAUDETE SUNDAY: THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

My dear friends, you may have noticed on this third Sunday in Advent, a few minor differences. There are, once again, flowers adorning the altar, rose-colored flowers. You'll see the Advent candle for today is rose instead of purple. In fact, one of these days, when we were in a position as a parish to do so, these priestly vestments will be rose-colored instead of purple, and the altar frontal and chalice will be similarly and beautifully adorned as well. A different introit was sung as we began our service with the lighting of the Advent wreath. And, note how happiness and joy mark today's music as well. And why? Because on this day, we are celebrating what is known as Gaudete Sunday, which comes from the title of today's Introit, which is found inside your service bulletin: 'Gaudete in Domino Semper.' 'Gaudete' meaning rejoice. "Gaudete in Domino Semper." "Rejoice in the Lord always."

First, we were awakened to the hope of salvation, which has come in the Advent of our Lord. Last week, we received the Word, which has come into our souls by grace. Additionally, we have been awakened to the future Advent of our Lord, the day of his second coming to judge the world. You see, scripture and worship simply won't allow us to live in false realities; it doesn't let us tip the scales of Advent one way or the other, either too far into the joy of our salvation or too far into the coming day of impending judgment. Instead, our anticipatory Advent joy is accompanied by a somber and penitential preparedness: for we need to be ready, a spotless bride awaiting the Advent of her beloved. Joy and sobriety. You see, things actually can co-exist within the Divine reality.

But on this Gaudete Sunday, Mother church provides a short reprieve from the penitential nature of Advent. Today we enjoy a temporary return to joy and festivity not because its time to embrace the fullness of Christmas joy (that happens on December 25th!) but because today, we look forward to the coming 'Joy' at Christmas. Rejoicing in the Lord himself who takes humanity upon himself for the redemption of the world; for Jesus is the very Joy of Christmas. There is no other.

"Rejoice in the Lord Always." And yet, there seems to be an apparent and strange contradiction in today's Gospel between rejoicing and Matthew's account of John the Baptist. For we find in the Gospel account a serious and distressed portrait of the Baptist confined within the four walls of a prison cell. John is in captivity, isolated, experiencing a long and dreary winter alone. John is a man, amid perplexities and trials; he is struggling much: "Is Jesus the One that was promised to come? Or is there another?" John is questioning and doubting everything.

Now we must keep in mind who John is. He's not just any man, but the man sent to Israel as the prophet of the most-high God! A man conceived and formed in the womb for the very purpose of God, the greater Jeremiah, one who before he was formed in the womb, the Lord knew, and before he was born was consecrated by the Lord; Divinely appointed a prophet (Jer 1:4). Who from within the womb of his mother Elizabeth, rejoiced and worshipped the incarnate Word hid in the Temple of Mary's womb. At the river's bank, he witnessed the Holy Spirit rest, like a dove, upon the Christ, heard from heaven above, the affirming words of the Father: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mt 3:17). And now, the forerunner is imprisoned, shrouded in darkness and doubt. "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?"

You see, John is receiving reports of Jesus' activities and of his interactions with the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus isn't doing what John might have imagined. Why is the one whom he had identified as the Messiah not manifesting himself more publicly? Where's the "Elijah-like wrath" which the One to Come is supposed to bring upon the corruptness of Israel, even the whole world? Why hasn't the kingdom of heaven already come in its fullness, vindication for Israel, and justice for the people of God? What is going on here? He is in the dark shadows of doubt and confusion.

We find in John a type of the world that once "sat in darkness and in the shadow of death." A world to which the True Light, "the dayspring from on high" has surely and most gloriously come; he has visited us! He is a type of Israel, his own people, those to whom the Incarnate Word has come and dwelt among, and yet they did not recognize nor did they know him (Jn 1:10).

He is as like the Christian in whom the light has shined in the heart to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:6), those who by grace and through faith have received the Word deep into the soul: seen; beheld; believed; and yet, at times, doubtful. "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" Perhaps the most human, raw, and real words found in Holy Scripture.

Perhaps you find yourself today in the darkness of confusion or shut up in the prison cell of doubt, alone, isolated, and wondering if this man, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the True Word of God. The Promised One of Israel; the Great Physician who alone can heal all things; the conqueror of death and giver of life. But take note: John's very question alerts us to real reality: that the Lamb of God is even now in our midst, though he doesn't appear to be or when doubt clouds our vision.

And how does the Lord react to John's skepticism and worry? He responds; he makes himself known. Jesus doesn't hide or evade. Instead, graciously answers, "Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them." See how Jesus chooses to assuage John's doubts both by his Word and deeds. The Lord comforts John with the Word quoting that very same prophecy of the prophet Isaiah as a word of confirmation to him that He, Jesus, is indeed the One and only Messiah of God, promised to all of mankind, through all the miracles and wonderful things He had done. Jesus is the Christ, the One revealed in the Holy Scriptures, the Word of God manifested and confirmed by his fulfilling the prophecies of old. The Word is God, as evidenced by his miracles.

And with the Word, we are comforted as well. We, too, find solace and confirmation in the Holy Scriptures (particularly the psalms), in the Liturgy and prayers of the church, in the sacrament of the Word Preached to God's people. The Word of God is like a soothing balm, oil for wounds. You see, the prophetic Word of God goes out to fulfill Isaiah's Divine commission to go forth and "comfort, comfort my people, says the Lord" (Is 40:11). And hear the Psalmist, "the humble hear and be glad" (Ps 34:2).

Again, Jesus pointed to both his Word and deeds because they showed him to be the Messiah, the One John and the whole world were looking for. But friends, mark how the Lord points back to what he's already done! Listen to what he tells the messengers sent by John, "'the blind have received their sight; the lame are walking, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf can hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have received the comfort of the Gospel…' He doesn't attempt to nullify their uncertainty by doing a new miracle. No, he says, "just look at what I've already done!" And if we would only stop and take the necessary time, we would find a vast history of the Lord working miraculously in our lives. He has already shown himself to be the Lord. Remember the miracle of salvation that came to you by hearing the salvific Word; How Christ converted your heart of stone into flesh.

Day by day, he returns sinners back into the loving arms of the Father; he turns the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers: mothers to daughters, husbands to wives and wives to their husbands; miraculously mending even the most fractured of friendships; healing wounds of every kind, both of the body and the soul. He has proven time and time again, in miracles big and small, that he is the One we are looking for; there is no other. And friends, let us take comfort in this: what the Lord has done in the past is a sure sign of what he will do in the future! For he is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Friends, the Baptist wavered, but the Lord remained steadfast and restored His wavering friend. And he will do the same for you. Jesus Christ will answer your doubts, discouragements- will come to you in the darkest nights of the soul- to sooth the wavering heart and to assure: that we have not believed in vain, but have rightly placed our trust, our loves, even our very lives in the Divine hands of Jesus Christ, son of man and son of God.

We, like John, must seek out Christ! For in his time of despair and doubt, he sought answers from the Lord. We mustn't remain in solitude and sorrow, but realize that Christ has come. We must seek answers from the Lord, in prayer and meditation, in solitude and through worship; we must find him as revealed in Holy Scripture, and expect to draw near to him in the sacrament of holy communion; patiently anticipating His answer. Willing to endure suffering while we hopefully wait to hear from the Lord Jesus.

The Lord is indeed coming, but we must be patient to wait for His arrival, for the time when He will fulfill completely all that He has promised to us. And what of suffering while we wait? St. John the Baptist himself had to endure and suffer in prison, is this not what we heard today from the Gospel passage, how he sent message to the Lord Jesus from prison. As dedicated and committed St. John the Baptist was, he was still human. He most certainly felt the despair and the pain and bitterness of suffering in prison as he lingered in his confusion and worry. It may be that some of us may face challenges and trials somewhere on this journey of faith, in varying degrees and difficulties. But we must not give up our faith and resolve to seek an answer from the Lord. Like St. John the Baptist, we must remain firm and faithful, sometimes, until the point of our death.

Beloved, cast all your cares, anxieties, and doubts upon Christ. Let us trust in the Word who has and will come again, he is not far, but near, very near and attentive to His people; he shall come, for "Though [the Word of God may] linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay" (Hab 2:3). “Rejoice, and again I say, Rejoice!” The Word shall comfort any and all who have rightly received and believed in Him. God is with you, and from his presence streams all grace, all loveliness, all joy. He who is to come is already here, near to us, close at hand. My friends, Gaudete Sunday, is an exhortation to joy,

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men: The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing, nor troubled, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding: Shall keep your hearts and minds."

"Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? No. The One who has come to you, who is with you even now, is the God of your salvation. But have patience. For, he will come again to fully and finally vindicate the righteous and set all things to right." Amen+