3rd Week of Advent: WISH

WISH: a desire or hope for something to happen

The third week of Advent means Gaudete Sunday! It’s joy week friends! Why is it called “Gaudete Sunday”? Well, the entrance antiphon  (opening song) for Gaudete Sunday, in both the Traditional Latin Mass and the Novus Ordo, is taken from Philippians 4:4,5: “Gaudete in Domino semper” (“Rejoice in the Lord always”). There’s your Latin lesson for the day!

Today’s theme is WISH. What do you wish for? What does your heart desire the most?

In this week’s first reading from Isaiah, we hear the prophet talk about what people desired from God:

He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God

This is what the people of Israel expected the Messiah to do. This is what they wished for in their Messiah. The way John preached, people thought he might be the answer to their wish. The people John was preaching to were expecting Christ, the Messiah. John answers them:

“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

John, too, was waiting with desire, hope, expectation. He was waiting for this wish of the Messiah to be fulfilled, and he knew that God is good and would send the Messiah, the Christ, just like he promised he would. God is still in tune with our desires, and our wishes.

Again, what is it that you wish for? What does your heart desire the most? Belonging? Patience? Love?

Will Christ’s birth on Christmas make that wish come true?