Saint Gertrude Parish - Lasne

Meditation by Pope Francis

Today we celebrate the third Sunday of Advent, marked by Saint Paul's invitation: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:4-5). The joy to which the apostle exhorts us is not a superficial or purely emotional one, nor is it worldly or the joy of consumerism. No, it is not that kind of joy, but rather a more authentic joy, the flavor of which we are called to rediscover. The flavor of true joy. A joy that touches the very depths of our being, as we await Jesus, who has already come to bring salvation to the world, the promised Messiah, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary. The Liturgy of the Word offers us the appropriate context for understanding and experiencing this joy. Isaiah speaks of a desert, of arid land, of steppe (cf. 35:1); The prophet has before him weak hands, faltering knees, misguided hearts, the blind, the deaf, and the mute (cf. vv. 3-6). This is the setting for a desolate situation, an inexorable, godless destiny.

But finally, salvation is announced: “Be strong, do not be afraid!” says the prophet. “Here is your God. He is the one who comes to save you” (cf. Isaiah 35:4). And immediately, everything is transformed: the desert blossoms, consolation and joy fill hearts (cf. vv. 5-6). These signs, announced by Isaiah as revealing the salvation already present, are fulfilled in Jesus. He himself affirms this in his response to the messengers sent by John the Baptist. What does Jesus say to these messengers? “The blind receive sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised” (Matthew 11:5). These are not words, but deeds that demonstrate how the salvation brought by Jesus embraces the whole human being and regenerates them. God entered history to free us from the slavery of sin; He pitched his tent among us to share our existence, heal our wounds, mend our injuries, and give us new life. Joy is the fruit of this intervention of salvation and love from God.

We are called to let ourselves be seized by this feeling of exultation. This exultation, this joy… But if a Christian is not joyful, something is missing from that Christian, or else they are not a Christian! The joy of the heart, the inner joy that propels us forward and gives us courage. The Lord comes into our lives as the liberator; he comes to free us from all forms of bondage, both internal and external. He is the one who shows us the path of faithfulness, patience, and perseverance, because at his return, our joy will be complete. Christmas is near; the signs of his presence are evident in our streets and in our homes; here too, in St. Peter's Square, the Nativity scene and the Christmas tree have been set up beside it. These outward signs invite us to welcome the Lord who always comes and knocks at our door, knocks at our hearts, to come near to us; they invite us to recognize his footsteps in those of our brothers and sisters who pass by us, especially the weakest and most destitute.