Homilies

3rd SUNDAY OF ADVENT: WHAT SHALL WE DO IN ORDER TO BE HAPPY?

THE FIRST TWO readings show what our celebration for today is all about. We celebrate the “Gaudete Sunday” and thus, the readings call for rejoicing. The responsorial psalm captures it: “Cry out with joy and gladness.” Let us recall that the season of Advent calls us for expectation and hope. The readings today modify this. The expectation is a joyful expectation, and hope is a joyous hope. Because Christ is closer and getting near us, there is a reason for us to be happy.

Let us go to the gospel and try to examine the important points in it. John preached to the crowds and his preaching was about conversion and repentance. What are the responses of the crowds?

First, the crowds joyfully accepted the challenge posed by John to them. In fact, their question to John was: “What shall we do?” John’s responses are simple, but they tell us the great truth. John clearly tells the crowds that their responsibility is to do good and to be good. They should not think of their own needs, but must show concern for others.

Second, the people were filled with expectation. In fact, they thought of John as the Messiah. As such, John was seen as the “deliverer” of the people. But John knows well his role. This is the beauty or goodness of John the Baptist. Amidst his popularity, he never used that for personal advancement and glory. He remains a humble person. He was seemingly telling the crowds, that if they are already happy because of his presence and preaching, they could actually be much happier when Jesus comes. This is so because Jesus is “mightier” than he.

Let us continue to reflect on joy or happiness. For most of us, sadness has become part of the structure of our life. Joy has been so elusive. Some people are successful in their jobs, but interestingly, there is no sign of happiness in their faces. On the contrary, their life has been so stressful.  Some people have married wealthy spouses, and have enjoyed riches, but still unhappy.

Thus, how shall we attain the spiritual joy? The key to this, I think, is to ask the same question that the crowds posed to John, “What shall we do?” What shall we do in order to be happy? John tells us that joy comes from doing good, being honorable, and showing generosity or concern to others in need. These appear too simple, but it is true. But we have to take note that becoming good and becoming generous to others have a reason. This happens because the person makes now his commitment to God, who is the reason and cause for his joy. St Paul is right! He says to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always!”

In other words, if we have God in us we have the reason to be happy. Success without God does not lead anyone to happiness. This has been the problem of most of the self-made people.  They attribute their successes to themselves, and God has nothing to do with their achievements. In the end, they do not find meaning to their successes. In the same way, those people who have become rich for themselves do not also find joy in what they have. But as soon as they share or show generosity to the less fortunate, they find meaning in what they have, and can find joy in what they do. 

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