Scripture:
“Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice. Indeed the Lord is near.”
Philippians 4:4-5
Reflection:
On this third Sunday of Advent the word, “rejoice” is repeated several times throughout the prayers and readings. In the opening prayer the line including “rejoice” reminds us the Lord is near.
We might ask ourselves to whom is the Lord near. The rest of the readings presents a picture of who is most near to God: “the blind, the lame, the unclean, the deaf, the dying, the hungry…”
This season of Advent calls us to look for those most near to God and respond, like Jesus in the Gospels, to their needs.
In these days leading up to Christmas we are surrounded by beautiful music, colorful decorations and joyful gatherings. In this warm, comforting environment let us not forget those who are near to the Lord and how we can make a difference individually and as a college community. Many have already done this through their participation in such initiatives as the Christmas giving tree and the sock collection for Columbus House.
The rest of the readings for the Third Sunday of Advent remind us of the hopeful message of this season as we reach out to those most near to God, “God will meet us with joy and gladness, and sorrow and need will be no more.”
Practice:
During the third week of Advent choose to be “near” to those Jesus called to himself by addressing their need and being a message of hope.