Daily Catholic Lectio
Sun, 15 December 2024
Third Sunday of Advent
Zephaniah 3:14-17. Philippians 4:4-7. Luke 3:10-18
Untroubled joy
The third Sunday of Advent is celebrated as ‘Gaudete Sunday’ (Joy Sunday). The third candle that we light today is ‘pink’ and it represents joy. What does joy mean? Although we use many words like ‘laughter,’ ‘delight,’ ‘happiness,’ ‘fulfilment,’ and ‘well-being,’ none of these words fully reflect the feeling of joy. Joy is a ‘relative’ word. That is, it is personal. I believe it is impossible to define common happiness that applies to everyone. If I, who am hungry, receive a meal, I feel happy. However, the same meal may seem burdensome to someone who is not hungry or is ill. It is the same meal. But it does not provide the same feeling of happiness to everyone. Does happiness come from within? Or does it come from outside? If it ‘comes from within,’ then what causes our mind to feel weary sometimes without any reason? If it ‘comes from outside,’ then joy becomes conditional! Moreover, my joy may become a reflection of my external circumstances! If there is no one else, I may feel joyless!
Let us consider joy as a calm pond. A small pebble falling into that calm pond creates ripples. When the ripples expand and reach the edges of the pond, the edges also become disturbed. The disturbance disrupts the tranquillity of the pond. In our lives, disturbances also disrupt joy. A word, a thought, or an action that falls like a pebble creates even a small ripple in our brain, mind, and body. The disturbance caused by the pebble not only affects the surface of the pond but also stirs up the mud settled at the bottom, just as a disturbed brain, mind, and body can bring up old impurities. Is unwavering joy possible? Even if ponds do not want disturbances, if pebbles fall, it is not the pond’s fault, is it? Is a calm pond possible? Is unwavering joy possible?
How does today’s liturgy of the word interpret the word ‘joy’?
The first reading (see Zephaniah 3:14-18) is taken from the book of the prophet Zephaniah. In the year 612 BC, a few years after the reign of Josiah, or during the last days of his reign, the prophetic book of Zephaniah speaks mostly about the destruction of Jerusalem. Furthermore, at the end of the book, he also speaks about the ‘Day of the Lord,’ which will be a day of punishment and confrontation. Today’s reading is taken from his ninth and final prophetic song. The prophet speaks not about destruction but about comfort. It is customary to refer to Jerusalem as ‘Daughter’ or ‘Daughter of Zion.’ Moreover, ‘Daughter’ also means ‘little city.’ Zephaniah calls Jerusalem and the surrounding little towns to rejoice. The three phrases he uses—’Shout for joy,’ ‘Rejoice,’ ‘Exult’—all refer to joy, but their Hebrew counterparts provide even deeper meanings. That is, joy begins as an inner feeling, ‘in the heart,’ ‘on the lips,’ ‘on the tongue,’ and transforms into a great expression. Joy transitions from a state of being to a state of action. Every joy has a reason—like a meal! What is the reason for Jerusalem’s joy? ‘The Lord your God is in your midst.’ Just as the presence of a loved one brings us joy, the realization that our God is in our midst brings us joy.
If ‘the Lord is in your midst today,’ who has been there all this time? ‘Enemies,’ ‘armies of adversaries,’ ‘the unwanted,’ ‘murderers,’ ‘destroyers’—others have been present. Their presence instilled fear in the people. Moreover, their presence caused the people’s hands to grow weary. Because the people had to always fight against them. This struggle diminished their physical strength. Now, since the Lord is present as ‘a mighty warrior, a victorious one, a giver of life,’ even though there are enemies, they need not fear.
Thus, according to the first reading, ‘the presence of the Lord’ gives unwavering joy.
The second reading (see Philippians 4:4-7) is taken from the letter of St. Paul to the Church in Philippi. This letter is one of Paul’s prison letters. What a contrast! From the suffering, loneliness, and despair of prison, Paul calls out, ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice.’ The ‘Lord is near’ that Paul speaks of refers to the ‘Second Coming of the Lord,’ which everyone was anticipating during Paul’s time, and it becomes the source of Paul’s joy.
Paul says, ‘Rejoice in the Lord always.’ The call to joy is not about being connected to the transient but to the eternal. ‘Being connected’ is a phrase commonly used in social media today. Through apps, cell phones, and websites, we are connected to one another. If one of these three fails, connection is impossible. How are we connected to the Lord? If we think of it as having a Bluetooth connection with the Lord, we can always remain connected to Him. Furthermore, Paul says, ‘Do not be anxious about anything.’ Paul knows that ‘disturbance’ or ‘anxiety’ is the enemy of joy. Moreover, when we pray with thanksgiving and connect every event, every moment, and every person to the Lord, unwavering joy becomes possible.
Thus, according to the second reading, ‘being connected to the Lord’ gives untroubled joy.
The Gospel reading (see Luke 3:10-18) continues from last Sunday’s reading. In last week’s reading, John the Baptist began his ministry. In today’s reading, we have the event of baptism that John offers, and the dialogue he has with those who participate in that event. Today’s reading can be divided into two parts. In the first part, three groups come to John asking for baptism. In the second part, John clarifies that he is not the Messiah and describes what the Messiah will be like.
The question from the three groups—’the crowds,’ ‘the tax collectors,’ and ‘the soldiers’—is the same: ‘What should we do?’ ‘Let the one who has two tunics share with the one who has none. Let the one who has food do the same.’ ‘Do not collect any more than you are authorized to.’ ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusations and be satisfied with your wages.’ In this way, John gives different life advice to each group. Even if we have many clothes in our closet, we only wear two. Even if we have many rooms in our house, we occupy only a few at a time. The feeling of ‘tomorrow’ makes us gather and hoard more. Furthermore, ‘extorting more than what is due’ is driven by greed. ‘Threats and false accusations’ lead to easy income. According to John the Baptist, repentance is a change in lifestyle or way of living. This understanding completes the message of the first and second readings. That is, a change in lifestyle also gives us unwavering joy.
Moreover, in the second part of the Gospel reading, John realizes that the people think of him as the Saviour, and without them asking, he steps back and brings Jesus forward, saying, ‘One who is more powerful than I is coming.’ That is, John, who advised not to go beyond what is prescribed in the first part, demonstrates it by living it out. He refuses to go beyond the role assigned to him. In this way, John instructs us that his joy does not come from his identity. Rather, it lies in shedding identities.
Thus, the readings convey that joy is found in (a) recognizing ‘the Lord is in our midst,’ (b) ‘being connected to the Lord,’ (c) ‘changing one’s lifestyle,’ and (d) ‘self-awareness.’
Untroubled joy. Will this always be available to us?
When everything is going well in our lives—basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter are met, we have a little money for expenses, some friends to talk to, a book to read, a job to look at—joy comes naturally. But how can I be joyful when basic needs are lacking? How can I be joyful when my home and garden are destroyed by a storm or flood? How can I be joyful when I have work, marriage, and family? How can I be joyful when I am sick, old, and lying alone in bed? How can I be joyful when my loved one passes away, and that loss cannot be compensated by anyone? How can I be joyful when all my money is stolen, my livelihood is taken away, and those in power are selfish? These questions are unavoidable.
‘Shout for joy and rejoice. The Holy One of Israel is among you’ (see Zephaniah 12) sings Isaiah. The experience that the Lord is in our midst gives unwavering joy.
When one knows oneself, knows those around them, shares what they have, and is connected with their God, unwavering joy is possible through time. The first step is to identify the factors that separate our joy, the pebbles thrown at us, and to distance ourselves from them. The second step is to bring joy to others and to smile in that joy. The third step is to find refuge in the Lord, who is my joy. The three threads we take will illuminate our path to ascend these three steps.
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Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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