Today is the halfway point in our Advent journey. We have about 11 days to go before we celebrate the great season of Christmas. Typically, this Sunday is called “Gaudete” or “Rejoice” Sunday, as we are reminded to see the joy that surrounds us.
For Isaiah, that meant looking to the Lord and placing our hope in what He has done and continues to do. Isaiah also anticipates the day when God’s glory will be made manifest. For people in Jesus’ day, joy was found in His message of hope and in the miracles He performed. In the letter of St. James, we are reminded to be patient and wait for the Lord to come again.
As Catholics in the 21st century, we are reminded to look to the Lord for strength. Jesus has already redeemed us; we do not need to look for prophets to give us the Good News. Rather, we need to reread the scriptures to remind ourselves what God has done for His people. More importantly, God is still working among us, but we need to have the insight to see what He is doing. We are invited to reflect on what God continues to do for us.
The responsorial psalm challenges us to place our hope and trust in the knowledge that God will save us through His Son, Jesus. And in this knowledge, we are able to rejoice.
