This Sermon is prepared by
Rev.Fr.Peter Jayakanthan sss
Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
Corpus Christi Catholic Church,
Houston, Texas, US
3rd Sunday of AdventYou are…..Voice of Joy…..!!!Is 61:1-2a, 10-11, 1 The 5:16-24, Jn1:6-8, 19-28Dear Sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, we are privileged to begin every week with the Eucharistic celebration of joy. It is the banquet of joy. It brings us together, it keeps us united and it reminds us to live a life of sharing. We shall voice our joy in our community and in our family, thus we can bring light into the life of many who are confined with various situations of darkness. Joy is not a one day event, not only on the day of Christmas and special days of our life, but joy is an experience. We shall encounter Our Eucharistic Lord, and continue our journey of towards eternal joy.Maria was a 45 year old woman. She was diagnosed with a rare cancer. The medical team had a plan for Maria to carry on with Radiation and then to proceed with Chemotherapy. I did not see her after that first encounter. Suddenly after a week she appeared at the hospital. I made an effort to visit her and check on her treatment. She looked tired, and her sister Julie was at her bedside. When I asked if everything was ok? Julie broke into tears and said that Maria’s body is not accepting any treatment. Why it is happening? Maria woke up and said, “Julie, it is ok. It is true we feel sad, sadness is a moment, but happiness is a decision. I want my life to end on this earth in a joyful note.” I said Julie, “You have every right to be sad and angry. At the same time, it is good to know this wish of Marie…though I wonder what leads her to say this.” Marie responded, “God is in the driver’s seat, let me enjoy the drive.” Do we express and communicate the voice of Joy or a voice of sadness? “There are people who suffer terribly distressed, and are unable to tell what they feel in their hearts, and they going along their way of suffering and more suffering. But, if they meet one with a laughing face, he or she can revive them with his joy.” We know how people and even the physicians strongly believe and recommend the practice of laughter therapy. Laughter therapy is not to forget the pain or sadness; rather laughter positively activates our energy and breath of life that comes from the Almighty. In a busy world, we rush to make money, we speed up our work force, we multiply our education system, and finally we run short of time to sit and laugh with our family. We have enough references to indicate that our Lord calls us for a life of Joy. Here are few: “Rejoice in the Lord” Philp 4:4 “My lips will shout for joy”,Ps71:23, “that your joy may be full.” Jn16:24, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” Prov17:22. We shall reflect how the readings invite us to experience the voice of joy from today’s liturgy. The first reading scene of today is the voice of the People of Israel; it is one of sadness. Their eyes can only see the unattended debris of the City of Jerusalem, the ruined temple, the dwelling place of God, and the uneven streets and scattered market places. Sadness compounds the widening gap between Yahweh and them. 60 to 70 years of Babylonian exile was a struggle, but their new journey towards Jerusalem looked impossible, and was filled with sadness. Here, the Prophet Isaiah revives their spirit with the Joy of Yahweh in them. Isaiah tells them that the joy will be like that of the Jubilee year. People will be exempt from all their debts which caused burden and sadness; peace and forgiveness will be practiced in the Jubilee year to all, and the fullness joy will flow. Isaiah tells them, ‘you are freed and your sins are forgiven, you may walk to establish the joy among your people and place.’ Isaiah also compares their joy of home-coming to a bride-groom with a new garment, and as a fresh vegetation of the earth. Yahweh chose Isaiah to be the voice of joy (good news) to the people of Israel. John’s Gospel offers John the Baptist as an exclusive example for the voice of joy. John the Baptist had his own disciples, some scholars still believe that the religious group exists today in Mesopotamia may be followers of John the Baptist. Though the studies could not determine to which group John the Baptist belonged, it is clear that John the Baptist had many followers. Priests and Pharisees came to interrogate John on behalf of the official. He refused to claim that he was Elijah, or a prophet, and not a messiah. The people believed that Elijah would come back to redeem, since he was the popular prophet. John was responding to the question that he is not Elijah; and he finally he affirms that he is the witness to the light. He openly proclaimed that he was the voice of joy. Joy and light is none other than Jesus. John the Baptist was motivating others to decide and desire the Baptism, thus they will embrace the voice of joy, and will become voices of joy to one another. Joy is a decision to be happy and to make others happy. We are called to be voices of joy. It is the joy from God and in God. Jesus came to share the joy with humanity. Joy is more than the feeling; it is a decision to recognize joy in the Lord and sustain that happiness. Happiness is what we do, and how we speak. No one could take away the happiness of Mother Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zachariah and the Shepherds. They had their own struggle, pain and sadness; but those passing things did not prevent their decision to be joyful. Joy is not personal; rather joy is relational, and involves community. Christmas is celebrated by all, irrespective of religion, language and nationality. It is the joyful feast of the world, because the Divine nature of the almighty reached the humanity of our situation. There is a story told about a man from Louisville, Kentucky, who had to travel to St. Louis on business. This was years ago when Christians kept Sunday as a very special day. For this man, "keeping the Sabbath," also meant not riding the trains on Sunday. Thus, after he finished up his business late Saturday night, he had to stay over in St. Louis until the following Monday morning. On Sunday morning, he left the hotel looking for a place to worship. The streets were quite deserted, but finally he saw a policeman and asked him for directions to the nearest church. The stranger thanked the policeman for the information and was about to walk off when he turned and asked the policeman: "Why have you recommended that particular church? It looks like a Catholic church. There must be several churches nearby that you could have recommended." The policeman smiled and replied: "I'm not a church man myself, but the people who come out of that church are the happiest looking church-people in St. Louis, and they claim that they have received Jesus and they are happily taking him to their homes. I thought that would be the kind of church you would like to attend." Our liturgy adds a joyful note to our gathering and community. The singing of the Gloria, acclamation, holy….holy and doxology, prepare us for a joyful encounter with Jesus in Communion. We are called to carry on our decision of sustaining and sharing this voice of joy with others. How can I make this Christmas the voice of joy with my family? Who is deprived of this voice of joy around me? –Amen. 
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