Sunday 15 December 2013: The Third Sunday of Advent
By Fr David Gibbons, Centre for Catholic Formation, Archdiocese of Southwark
First Reading:
Although this third extract from the prophecy of Isaiah will give hope and courage to those who are downhearted or restricted in some way, when Isaiah refers to the blind, the lame., etc, he is talking of the whole community. The Christian sees this prophecy fulfilled in Christ, who came to restore us, as a community of faith, to wholeness and integrity.
As is usually the case, the Psalm picks up the same theme as the First Reading.
Second Reading:
St James says that like a farmer we must be patient as we wait for Christ’s second coming. In the Bible the idea of harvest is often used as a picture for the Day of Judgement. We should wait patiently for this day and not make judgements ourselves about other people.
Gospel
John the Baptist sends his disciples to find out who Jesus is, if He truly is the Messiah. Jesus tells them to look at the evidence of their own eyes.
The point He is making in the final sentence of this Gospel is that in the coming kingdom of God the little ones who believe in Jesus Christ will have the same standing as an important figure such as John.
