Third Sunday of Advent
The third Sunday of Advent has traditionally been called Gaudete Sunday, or the Sunday for rejoicing. But the John we meet in today's gospel is not exactly a barrel of laughs! "If anyone has two tunics, he must share with the one who has none. No intimidation, no distortion, be content with your pay," John tells his listeners.
The only John we encounter in the gospels is the John presented to us by Christian authors. That John evolved into the "precursor" of Jesus - sent by God 'to prepare a way for the Lord' as he claimed himself. Scholars constantly remind us that such a picture of the Baptist is more a theological construction than an historical fact. John can only be the Messiah's forerunner for those who believe Jesus is the Messiah. During the period the gospels were being composed, a good number of Jews thought John, not Jesus, should have been given that title. Our evangelists had one eye on this group when they wrote anything about John. That's why today Luke has him say, "I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his (Jesus') sandals." For Christians, Jesus is the superior; John the inferior.
Yet, listen carefully to John's response to the crowd's question, "What should we do?" Sounds a lot like we'd expect Jesus to respond. "Share with the person who has none. . . Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone..." No wonder scholars presume that, before John's arrest, Jesus was simply proud to be one of his disciples. They both followed kindred spirits. Only after John's martyrdom does Jesus go public; only then do we discern a distinction between the two.
With the person of Jesus come the joy of the gospel. While the challenging ethical side of the gospel is central to our lives, nevertheless, this should not be harped upon to the exclusion of everything else. There is more to Christianity than the moral dos and don'ts. There is the element of joy and thanksgiving, a fundamental disposition for anyone who believes that God became man at Christmas time. Too often, we find people who would place themselves on the highest rung of the Christian ladder spitting fire and brimstone at those whom they consider to be morally inferior to themselves.
But Paul, who could be a bad-tempered old grouch on a bad day, was the greatest exponent of the need for Christian joy. The best example of this is to be found in today's letter to the Philippians. He urges them to rejoice in their humanity and to celebrate the human condition: "I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; let me repeat: what I want is your happiness. Let your gentleness be known to everyone."
This is a side of the Christian message that we rarely hear. We are actually urged to celebrate our humanity. And how often do we find ourselves apologising for our humanity? After all, God deemed humanity capable of containing and expressing his own great love for the world. That is what the feast of Christmas is all about: God's great love for us in expressed in human form and frailty.
The hope-filled expectation of this season is marked with the progressively brightening Advent wreath. Today we light the pink candle, the candle of joy. Throughout the season of Advent, the Christian community is cast in the role of expectant parents: this is a time of great preparations and great expectations in every Christian home.
But, again, this waiting is not to be a lazing around; we are expected to make the world a more fitting dwelling place for a saviour. And it is John the Baptist, as always, who points to the way: "Whoever has two coats must share with him who has none. Whoever has food must do likewise. Do not extort money from anyone by threats and false accusations." John outlines in clear, practical terms how we should prepare for the coming of the Messiah. This is active waiting. In other words, those who are disadvantaged or deprived in any way have a special claim upon the followers of Jesus.
This generosity of God is traditionally expressed at Christmas time when his followers exchange gifts with each other. This congregation has gone to great lengths over the last three weeks to give expression to this dimension of the Christian message. Through the Giving Tree, many of you have sought to 'give you cloak to those who have none.' The giving of gifts at Christmas time has an established and rightful place in the Christian message. It is part of our personal efforts to make the world a better, happier place, a more fitting place for a vulnerable Christ child. This is the spirit of advent, the generous spirit of Christianity. This is the spirit we try to capture on this Gaudete, joyful and expectant Sunday.