December 11, 2016
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Don't Settle
Is 35:1-6a,10; Jas 5:7-10; Mt 11:2-11
 
First Reading: The prophet Isaiah, a man very aware of the sufferings of his people, is confident that the Lord is prepared to act on their behalf. He describes a detailed reversal of all that has afflicted them. The response of the people is one of singing, rejoicing and gladness.
Second Reading: St. James writes of the challenging virtue of patience. The Lord is coming, but at a time that is the Lord's plan, not ours. Await him for he is near, he says, but as you wait be careful how you treat one another so that you are prepared when the Lord does come.
Gospel: The question put forth by the disciples of John the Baptist is clear: Are you the long expected one? The response of Jesus is equally clear. The identity of the one promised can be known not only by words but also by deeds. The prophets proclaimed that the Messiah would bring healing for ancient and present wounds and therefore overturn the sad saga of sin. What then do you see?
 
Homily
Who among us has not felt joy at the prospect of a hope being fulfilled? The challenge is when we realize that it won't happen just yet. The waiting is difficult and, at times, we find ourselves abandoning the
ultimate fulfillment and settling for less.
That happened to the people of Israel as they were told of the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. The prospect of waiting for God to fulfill that promise proved too much for them, and they settled for less, much less. Gathering around a golden idol they lost sight of the promise and abandoned their hope of that promise being fulfilled.
This human dynamic is addressed in the Scripture readings for this Advent Sunday. The message of ulti-mate joy is proclaimed and embraced, but waiting for its fulfillment wears on the people. They falter, and their behavior does not correspond to what is expected of those who are awaiting the joy of salvation. They settle for less. How tragic that is.
 
Are we any different? Clearly, a part of the liturgy of Advent is preparing us to meet the Lord at the end of our lives here on earth as well as at the end of all time, when he will appear in glory. But we have no idea of when those events will occur. We are told to be prepared. Part of that preparation is a willingness to embrace those events as a source of joy and part of it is living each day in that light.
Is that how we see it? Do we find sufficient joy each day in anticipation of the future God has prepared for us? Are we really living in active expectation that Jesus will come? Does that influence our every word and action? Is that joy the source of our daily hope?
Or are we just tired of waiting and ready to settle for less? Are we satisfied to find our joy in an automobile with heated seats or a
smartphone that can do almost anything? Do we become satisfied with the "joys" of good food and a nice vacation?
There is a clear temptation to abandon hope for eternal life and become immersed in this world and all the good that it provides. There is in all this, of course, no explicit
denial of a final judgment, but rather a slowly eroded hope and a clear settling for the less that this world offers. How sad that we sell ourselves so short.
In that context, today's liturgy recalls the joy of the people of Israel when they hear the prophet's words that the Lord will fulfill their hopes. Their joy is so overwhelming that they might have missed Isaiah's caution that they must be patient for the Lord, who will fulfill the promise in a time that is coming but not yet known.
Patience is one of the greatest human challenges. And when we face it, we too often give up and settle for less. During the Advent season we are asked to ponder the coming of Christ, not only at the Incarnation but also at the end of our lives and at the end of the ages.
Faced with the challenge of patience, we are tempted to embrace less than the final goal. Advent speaks loudly, encouraging us not to be distracted by the passing joys of this world and to focus on the eternal joy that only the Lord can provide. Don't settle for anything less.