Third Sunday Of Advent
Gospel: Luke 3:10-18
Last Sunday’s gospel introduced the mission of John the Baptizer. Luke used an oracle of a sixth century B.C. prophet to explain John’s mission — to prepare the way of the Lord that the salvation of God will be made known to all humankind. In this Sunday’s gospel Luke instructs Christians how to respond to proclamation by the Baptizer. Three groups approach John: people in general (the “crowds”), next the hated tax collectors, and finally a group of soldiers. In the questions of these three groups and John’s answers to their questions Luke instructs his Christians, fifty years after the Baptizer, how they and we are to “prepare the way of the Lord.”
The crowds want an application of John’s proclamation. They approach him with a question that could be asked by any Christian today after a proclamation of a Sunday gospel or instruction on a statement of Christian belief, “What should we do?” John makes it simple, “If you have two cloaks, share with someone who has none. Do the same with your food.” That certainly is basic to a Christian way of life then and now. The same thought is expressed in Jesus’ last will and testament in Matthew 25:35-36, “When I was hungry, you gave me to eat. When I was naked, you clothed me.” The advice of both Luke and Matthew is solidly based on Old Testament prophets. Luke 19:8 gives a final example of this kind of sharing in the story of Zaccheus, who gives half of his possessions to the poor.
Tax collectors approach John, “Teacher, what shall we do?” These men were shunned from most Jewish social life. In need of employment, they bought tax-collecting franchises from the occupying Roman authorities to collect local taxes for the Romans. The collectors were allowed to keep a percentage to regain their investment. They were notorious for attempts to overstate the amount owed and pocket the surplus. Therefore the Lucan John replies, “Collect no more than you are supposed to collect.” Soldiers line up next, and ask John, “And we, what shall we do?” They were the needed military detachment (enforcers) accompanying the tax collectors. These enforcers saw a window of opportunity in their job. We may envision a type of protection racket, perhaps like this, “Unless you pay us, we will accuse you of being delinquent in paying taxes.” Therefore John advises, “Rob no one by violence or by false accusation. Be content with your wages.” Such are the various modes of repentance Luke’s version of the Baptizer advises.
Luke reports that the people were “in expectation,” some thinking that John was the long-awaited Messiah. In fact, John’s popularity eventually led to his arrest by Herod Antipas. Even after John’s death, there were many devout Jews who considered John to be the Messiah. Christians were still coping with the descendants of this group decades later in the Acts of Apostles. Thus the Baptizer in Luke’s gospel immediately responds, “I am not even worthy to untie the sandal strings of the Mighty One who is now en route to you.” All four gospels cope with the problem arising from those who placed their messianic hopes in John. They repeatedly depict John downgrading himself. In John 3:30, the author depicts the Baptizer saying of Jesus, “He must increase. I must decrease.”
Luke next resorts to a bad news-good news approach. He directs a scorching threat to those who will not accept his message nor the baptism of fire which would replace John’s own baptism with water. This is one more way by which Luke relegates John to second rank status. The good news: “And so with many other exhortations John preached to the people.” There is such a similarity between Jesus’ future preaching and John’s then present preaching that Luke dares to speak of John’s preaching as evangelizing, that is, preaching “the Good News,” a term Christians usually reserved for the gospel.
First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18a
The reading from this 7th century B.C. prophet sounds the joy of expectation, the joy of receiving forgiveness, the joy of release from oppression, and the joy of assurance that “the Lord your God is in your midst.” This ancient oracle is given new meaning by its use in the Advent Liturgy. As Christians we rejoice in expectation of Jesus’ return — a theme of the First Sunday of Advent. We rejoice that God forgives us. We rejoice in expectation of our celebration of Jesus’ birth — a theme of the Second Sunday of Advent. And we rejoice in the presence of Jesus with us, not only incarnate in the womb of the Virgin Mary — a theme of the Fourth Sunday of Advent — but with us in Eucharistic gatherings and in his enduring presence with us in the Blessed Sacrament.
Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
The first word of this reading in Latin gives to the Third Sunday of Advent the name “Gaudete Sunday,” that is, “Rejoice Sunday.” We should recall that Paul writes this letter, so full of joy and gratitude, while he is in prison. He includes fitting concepts to express the fruits of Christian joy: kindness, no anxiety, prayer, petition, thanksgiving, and peace.
