What did you go out to see? He asked the disciples. On this Third Sunday in OT, this Gaudete Sunday or Joy Sunday. This week we shift from a season of expectation and preparation for the coming of Christ to joyously proclaiming he is near! He is at hand!
And our God’s promises for eternal life and redemption is breaking into time and our world in the form of one of us. Weak and humble of birth he was brought into being, man even as he is still fully God.
The Church calls this time joyous because this season originally was penitential like Lent. It evolved into more of an anticipatory season we have today. And now most of this season is spent already looking forward to his becoming man.
How wonderful it must have been when the first two weeks were more lenten and included abstinence and putting away and sacrifice.
So, this week is when we should at least spiritually if not physically, put down preparations and busyness and take time to reflect that He is the one to come! There is no need to look for another.
There is nothing greater. Nothing we can do or buy..no one we can embrace that is greater than he. For he comes to give us not only eternal life and a path back to the Father but the good news that we are loved. A life lived following Christ with all our heart is an amazing life. There is nothing like it. For we are living for what we were created for…..to love God and others with the love he gave us first.
We are reminded today that we did not go to our God, he came to us.
We did not first offer sacrifices to God, he sacrificed himself for us.
We do not make or buy the true blessings and good things in our life. God gave them to you and me and all mankind.
We have a God who when we were lost, ran to us and stood ready to embrace us, when we were still sinners. To set us firmly on a safe path when we no longer could see a way forward.
He is near. He is close by. Let’s keep his joy in our hearts always and today especially get ready to greet him.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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