Good News ReflectionFOR NEXT SUNDAY: December 13, 2009Third Sunday of Advent, Cycle C
Parish bulletins, faith-sharing groups, RCIA: For professionally published, printable copies of this reflection, please go to Catholic Digital Resources:http://catholicdr.com/calendar/December/Advent3.htm - Preview a sample
Next Sunday's Readings:Zeph 3:14-18aIsaiah 12:2-6Phil 4:4-7Luke 3:10-18http://www.usccb.org/nab/121309.shtmlUSCCB Podcast of the Readings: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_12_13.mp3
The Third Sunday of Advent focuses our attention on the spirit of joyfulness. All the readings are full of joy and the thrill of happy expectation. In the Gospel reading, John the Baptizer preaches good news to the people, and they are filled with joyful anticipation for whatever God is about to do.
Do you know that joy is a ministry? And that you have a calling to do this ministry whenever there is misery and hopelessness where you live, worship, work, and everyplace else you go?
Let's look at how John fulfilled this ministry of joy. We might think he was anything but joyful in his robe of scratchy camels hair and his fiery message of the need for repentance. But look closer. His ministry prepared people's hearts to receive Jesus.
You and I are not responsible for the feelings of others. If they don't feel joyful after we've tried to cheer them, it's not because we've failed in our ministry of joy. It's because they're not yet receiving Jesus into the situation that's been stealing their joy.
Jesus is the only true source of joy. When we're united to him, we experience the joy of being loved by God and receiving his comfort in the midst of even the worst hardships. Our ministry of joy is the reaching out that we do to help people open their hearts to this. We have the ministry of helping people discover the joyful side of Jesus and the joyful purposes behind all of his teachings.
Jesus preached going the extra mile, loving our enemies, and doing good to those who cause us hardships, none of which is fun. What we need to discover and then share with others is that holy living, although not always fun, is what unites us to the joyful love of Jesus and the joyful purposes of everything he preached. Remember, even going to the cross produces joyful results.
The good news is: Jesus didn't just tell us how to be holy, he gave us the power to be holy. He gave us his Holy Spirit. And we don't have to be fiery like John the Baptist in telling people to repent; we show others the joy of holy unity with Christ by letting them see the Holy Spirit's activity in us and letting them know that Jesus is the reason for our joy.
Questions for Personal Reflection:Think of a recent sin you've committed. How did it prevent you from experiencing joy? The next time, how will you rely on the Holy Spirit to help you turn temptation into joy?
Questions for Community Faith Sharing:Name some of the special joys you experience during Advent and Christmas; how do they help you grow stronger in holiness? Describe a time when you helped someone else become joyful; how did Jesus reveal himself in that?
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