Each week, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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This Third Sunday of Advent is known as “Gaudete Sunday,” using the Latin word for rejoice. That same word is used in St. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians, “Rejoice always.”
Now, in the midst of a pandemic, after one of the most difficult years in recent memory for a variety of reasons, how can St. Paul ask us to “rejoice always”? But, reading along in his letter, he makes it very clear: “In all circumstances give thanks.”
Does he mean that we should give thanks for today with a raging pandemic, a divided nation, racial tensions, and an uncertain future? Absolutely. Why? Because Jesus has been anointed to bring glad tidings to the poor, healing to the brokenhearted, and liberty to captives. In other words, we have hope that the Lord will provide for us. That is why Jesus says over and over again, “Fear not.”
One of the things that John the Baptist proposes is that we must always look outside of ourselves for ultimate salvation. John, as great a figure as he was, would say, “I am not the savior.”
Yes, it seems as though we have a vaccine for the coronavirus. And yes, we have done other marvelous things with our engineering prowess. Still, we need something that no scientist can give and no mathematician can solve: we need God to forgive us, love us, redeem us, and give us life eternal. That is something no one else can give in the amount that God can.
In other words, we can’t save ourselves. None of us, and not even all of us combined, can be the savior of the world. Only Jesus can save us. Happily for us, he is with us, working out our good according to his time and plan, even today, whether we see it or not So, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks.”
God bless you and those you love.