Third Sunday Advent. Year B - Sunday, December 17, 2023 (EPISODE:452)

 

Third Sunday Advent. Year B - Sunday, December 17, 2023
(EPISODE:452)

Readings for Sunday, 17 December 2023
FIRST READING: Isa 61:1-2a, 10-11
Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54. "My soul rejoices in my God."
SECOND READING: 1 Thess 5:16-24
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Isa 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)). Alleluia, alleluia! The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he sent me to bring Good news to the poor. Alleluia!
GOSPEL: John 1:6-8, 19-28

Shutterstock licensed Image:  stock photo ID: 697915306. ISTANBUL, TURKEY - OCTOBER 30, 2015: Deesis - Byzantine mosaic in Hagia Sophia church, showing Jesus Christ and John the Baptist (Ioannes Prodromos), probably dates from 1261. By Zzvet.
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Third Sunday Advent. Year B - Sunday, December 17, 2023 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-third-sunday-of-advent-year-b-episode-452/s-6dtQtSOWl0v
(EPISODE:452)
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*Prologue: Our Advent journey of waiting is nearing its end. Only one more Sunday after this, and then Christmas will be upon us!
There is a tone of increasing joy and expectation in the readings and prayers this weekend.  The whole weekend is called "Rejoice Sunday," as we are filled with joy at the nearness of the Lord and the salvation he brings to us, and our loved ones and friends. This offer of salvation is for all people of every time and place. O Come, Lord Jesus and deliver us, without delay.
HOMILY -  

There is something ironic here.  John the Baptist himself illustrates in his own life, the disciple who is humble and self-forgetting, rejecting the temptation to pride, and being open to change his thinking, to match the ways of God. This extraordinary Prophet, who came to testify to the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World, himself practises the very word he preaches - because John the Baptist got a bit of a shock when Jesus arrived. 
 
John had been preaching the old 'fire and brimstone' model of the Old Testament prophets. He taught that the judgement of God was close at hand. He warned people that God will come in power with his threshing sword and uproot the weeds and sort out the wheat from the chaff and throw the rubbish into the fire. He warned people that Christ would bring down God's judgment upon the earth - uprooting the stubborn plants... But then, astoundingly, along comes Jesus. Our Lord announces, (in line with our first reading), a time of grace and mercy. This is a season of jubilee, including the complete and wholesale cancellation of debt, as well as freedom of prisoners, the forgiveness of sin and renewed life and favour from God.
 
John is understandably confused. It is as if he was preparing everyone to celebrate a funeral and then at the very last minute someone rushes up and says, "Actually it's a wedding feast, not a funeral." That was the dramatic revelation that probably took John the Baptist, (and many others), by surprise. We know John the Baptist was fairly surprised and confused because we are told in Matthew's Gospel (11:13) that he sends disciples to ask Jesus: "are you the one who IS to come; or OUGHT we to wait for another????"
 
Let us instead be joyful followers, in the spirit of John. may we be ever ready and willing to adjust course according to the sudden and unexpected commands of God. God sees the whole picture and knows best. Certainly better than our mortal perceptions.
 
We would not be a very useful instrument in God's hand unless we are open to adjusting our direction at the sudden instructions of the master-craftsman. To be truly open to those fine adjustments, we must not assume that our vision is the perfect touchstone of how everything should be. Rather, we remain open to God's word, and the wisdom of the faith community and the experiences and insights of our brothers and sisters around us.
 
We can so easily want to stretch God's ways and thoughts so that they suit our desires and expectations. We are constantly on guard against this so that we can, just like John the Baptist, "decrease," so that Christ will "increase"...
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References:
Homily- Fr Paul W. Kelly

Shutterstock licensed Image:  stock photo ID: 697915306. ISTANBUL, TURKEY - OCTOBER 30, 2015: Deesis - Byzantine mosaic in Hagia Sophia church, showing Jesus Christ and John the Baptist (Ioannes Prodromos), probably dates from 1261. By Zzvet

Third Sunday Advent. Year B - (Sunday, December 13, 2020)  (EPISODE: 266)

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INTRODUCTION
 
In the Name of the Father (+) and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
 
The Lord be with you.
 {{Greetings}} welcome everyone, we gather - Ponder with reverence, God's word and sacrament. As we continue our Advent journey. We now light the third Advent candle (the Rose Candle). Also known as the "Shepherd's Candle," it reminds us of the Joy the world experienced at the coming birth of Christ.
{The Presider lights the third candle}
O Lord and leader of Israel. Come and save us with your mighty power. Lord Have Mercy.
 
O Stock of Jesse, Come to deliver us, without delay. Christ have mercy.
 
O Key of David and sceptre of Israel, Come to free those who sit in valley and shadow of death. Lord Have mercy.
 
Third Sunday Advent. Year B  (Sunday, December 17, 2023)  (EPISODE:452)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
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{{May Our Lord's care, comfort you}} welcome everyone, we gather -  To offer or praise, prayers and intercessions to God. On this Third Sunday Advent. Year B

Coming together as God's family, let us call to mind our sins.
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault,* through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54. "My soul rejoices in my God."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Isa 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)). Alleluia, alleluia! The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he sent me to bring Good news to the poor. Alleluia!
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PREFACE: Advent II
Eucaristic Prayer II
Communion side.  pwk:  
(theme variation: 3)

(post version: v2-long)

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{May God's grace strengthen your love and hope and faith, and may God's love surprise you even in the trials and challenges of the week.}

Go forth, the Mass is ended.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

"O Come. Lord. (Advent)" - In Memory of Paolo Mario (Paul) Giacomantonio (1968-2020).
By Paul W. Kelly.  Based on the Ancient church "O Antiphons" of Advent. 
Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics, By Stefan Kelk, 2020.

 [ Production - KER - 2023]

May God bless and keep you.

Extra Text: unspoken for Advent: -
Roman Missal, 3rd edition, 2010, (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. 

"The Psalms" by The Grail - 1963, 2009.

Prayers of the Faithful - Robert Borg "Together we pray" - (1993).
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