Have you ever been to a rescued dog shelter? A couple of months ago, a friend of mine asked me to help her to get a rescued dog. We went to one of those places, and the person in charge gave us a short tour of the site. My friend falls in love with the ugliest dog I’ve ever seen in my life. She kneeled to talk to the dog. He was noticeable afraid, shaking, his look was sad, but as soon as my friend spoke to him, the dog got on his paws and started violently barking as he was defending himself. It took us at least 30 minutes to calm him down and to let us approach until finally, my friend took him into his arms, and now she has a new dog.
Perhaps many of us have gone through situations of abuse and violence that have made us afraid of new failures and more damages. Experiences that made us bitter and hostile to others as they took away our hopes and dreams. We’d now rather be alone with the false security of isolation than being failed again.
The words of the prophet Isaiah and Jesus for this weekend resound anew as a calming balm that heals and restores, as a relief that brings the chance of a fresh beginning: “Rejoice and be glad, here is your God!”
In the Catholic community, and some other denominations, this is the so-called “Gaudete Sunday” (Rejoice Sunday) as an echo of the words of Isaiah in the first reading (Is 35:1-6.10) “The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song.”
The prophet goes on:
“Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
they will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee.”
The change in the liturgical color is a sign that indicates a shift in mood, increasing the expectation.
The journey of advent helps us to confront our fears and frustrations as we turn them into God’s mercy and compassion. Indeed, his salvation is concrete and personal, and the promise of deliverance and restoration beings with us!
Then, in the gospel (Matthew 11:2-11) we listen from Jesus’ answer to John the Baptist that the signs are here. Similarly to many Jews at his time, John awaited the coming of the Messiah with high expectation as the beginning of a better time of justice and freedom, the time of God’s kingdom. So the sings were visible to everyone: “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”
Sings of deliverance and hope, signs of life, and restoration. Somehow, those who awaited (and keep waiting) the coming of the Messiah are the ones who experience suffering, anguish, and death near to them. They are invited to rejoice because the Lord is coming to restore what is ruined, to lift what is fallen, and to strengthen what is weak.
Undoubtedly, the announcement of the coming of the Lord is for all men and women from any time and condition.
However, the ears and the hearts of the suffering are more attentive to this message because they need the Lord, and they are aware of that.
So, I think this Sunday is an excellent opportunity to think about those shattered dreams that make our hearts bitter and dark. It is essential to ask ourselves what were those experiences that take away our capacity of dreaming and hoping for a better future, situations that make us feel unworthy that something good could happen to us because we don’t deserve it. As we do so, we listen once more the prophet saying: “your dry and bitter heart will blossom, the desert of your soul will flourish; fear not, be strong, the Lord will come!”
The journey of advent helps us to confront our fears and frustrations as we turn them into God’s mercy and compassion. Indeed, his salvation is concrete and personal, and the promise of deliverance and restoration beings with us!
