3rd Sunday in Advent. Rose Sunday. Rejoice.

 3rd Sunday in Advent.  Rose Sunday. Rejoice.

I Thessalonians 5:12-23; Gospel-John 1:6-8,19-28

That blessed saint, Helen Keller once wrote: "Christmas is the harvest time of love. Souls are drawn to other souls. All that we have read and thought and hoped comes to fruition at this happy time. Our spirits are astir. We feel within us a strong desire to serve. A strange, subtle force, a new kindness animates man and child. A new spirit is growing in us. No longer are we content to relieve pain, to sweeten sorrow, to give the crust of charity. We dare to give friendship, service, the equal loaf of bread and love."

Peace, power and purpose. "The light shines in the darkness…" In these very busy days of preparation, may His peace, His power and His purpose dwell in our hearts.

Helen Keller

DAILY MEDITATION | DECEMBER 14, 2023

Joy

Joy does not come from positive predictions about the state of the world. It does not depend on the ups and downs of the circumstances of our lives. Joy is based on the spiritual knowledge that, while the world in which we live is shrouded in darkness, God has overcome the world. Jesus says it loudly and clearly: “In the world you will have troubles, but rejoice, I have overcome the world.”

The surprise is not that, unexpectedly, things turn out better than expected. No, the real surprise is that God’s light is more real than all the darkness, that God’s truth is more powerful than all human lies, that God’s love is stronger than death.

Henri J. M. Nouwen

 

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

EPHESIANS 1:18-19 (NIV)

What is the spirit of Advent? Advent III-I Thessalonians 5:12-23

I think we know the spirit of Christmas about the birth of Jesus and His glory in the manger, but what is the spirit of Advent? Advent in the Roman tradition , four weeks , was not always penitential. The Gallic Church had a nine week Advent , more penitential, and eventually we now have penitential but it is a " joyful of preparation for the Feast of the Lord's Nativity."p. 49 Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs, FR Francis Weiser. The third Sunday, Gaudete , " bears a special character of joy." p. 52,Handbook In Advent, the Gloria is omitted, and in Morning/Evening Prayer we say the Litany.

Today we look at an alternate Epistle reading for today Sunday Advent III from I Thessalonians. What are some of the special characteristics of a time of preparation for our Lord's birth? In Friday's morning prayer we heard the Gospel of Mark 4:24 , " unto you that hear shall more be given." Listening is a part of our spiritual lives. We often speak without thinking. It would be a good practice to be still and to listen to God and to what others are saying to us. This is not easy!I tried it one morning this week, and found it helpful but it was not so hard not to speak. How can we change our habits unless we are willing to take time and to listen to God and to others?

1. First point

The Epistle points out some things that we do often think about. We should pray and rejoice for those who are over us in this work . " And we beseech you , brethren to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake." I Thess 5:12 To know is used in the sense of " to know the worth of." They are exercising faithful leadership over us as they are in "the Lord". Too often we are critical before knowing . Too often we lament instead of thank God for our spiritual leaders. " The most probable reading of the situation..is that the leaders had rebuked those who had stopped working...who had erroneous views concerning the second advent....Paul counsels consideration and patience." Thessalonians, Leon Morris

Secondly, another thing we do not often think of in Advent is what follows " And be at peace among yourselves....we exhort you brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men....do not render evil for evil. Follow that which is good , both among yourselves, and to all men."

Unruly is a translation of a military term for those out of ranks, and carries the meaning of purposeful idleness or loafing.

Feebleminded is "those who lack courage". " They have been discouraged by particular circumstances. Be patient, not short-tempered with such. This is the idea of a "steady patience. "Morris

Lastly , point 3----we should "rejoice" "evermore." 5:16 How appropriate this reading is for this Rose Sunday! We know Christians should be this way. xaírō (from the root xar-, "favorably disposed, leaning towards" and cognate with 5485 /xáris, "grace") – properly, to delight in God's grace ("rejoice") – literally, to experience God's grace (favor), be conscious (glad) for His grace in Biblehub.com

Even the best of the saints have difficulty. I think all of us were quite surprised that Mother Teresa suffered thru such a dry spell in her spiritual life.

“If I ever become a saint—I will surely be one of ‘darkness,'” Mother Teresa wrote in September of 1959. “I will continually be absent from heaven—to light the light of those in darkness on earth.”

Two years earlier she wrote this to Archbishop Perier of Calcutta:

There is so much contradiction in my soul.—Such deep longing for God—so deep that it is painful—a suffering continual—and yet not wanted by God—repulsed—empty—no faith—no love—no zeal.—Souls hold no attraction—Heaven means nothing—to me it looks like an empty place—the thought of it means nothing to me and yet this torturing longing for God.—Pray for me please that I keep smiling at Him in spite of everything. For I am only His—so He has ever right over me. I am perfectly happy to be nobody even to God. . . . .

Read more: http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/beyondblue/2007/08/mother-teresa-my-saint-of-dark.html#ixzz3u3C8MQBt

Yes, it is often hard to rejoice;we have much to be thankful for. We sometimes suffer , and no one wishes to spend an evening in ER, but thank God for great doctors here and hospitals that have open doors to us. We could lament about a lot of things , or we could be prayerfully positive and have a rejoicing attitude. Sometimes we need a spiritual 2x4 to know God's goodness and love. In the moments He gives us like this, He is getting our attention. Be still and know that I am God! Psalms 46:10

I had such a moment this week when He slowed me down and showed me His power and His love and it brought a tear to my eye as I sat there in no room ( there were no rooms), in the waiting area , and then led to a room and being told there were none, so I sat in another waiting area, where the PA came to see me! But in that moment I realized I had to slow down and listen to God. He got my attention.

What would our church, our community and our nation be like if we took time to say good things to people that needed good words, and we were thankful , rejoicing and prayerful in our attitudes. What a powerful statement that would be!