by Msgr. Joseph Calise

My closet and dresser are filled with clothes that I will probably never wear.

Some were gifts and have a purely sentimental value to me. Others might (just might) fit again one day, and you never know if the rest will ever come back into style.

Even though I do not need the items, there are a lot of excuses not to give them away. The challenge of the Gospel – let the one who has two cloaks share with the one who has none – is made more profound when we see that it is not only from my kind of abundance that we are called to share, but from whatever we have, even if what we have is comparatively little.

Each of the tailor-made responses John gives to those seeking Baptism as they ask, “What must we do?,” invites them to live sacrificially in preparation for the coming of Jesus because He will demand even more. If this is the Gospel message, why do Zephaniah, the Psalmist and St. Paul all talk about joy and rejoicing?

Grouchy Smurf, one of the characters made known by the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series taken from the comic series by Peyo, used to respond to every “Good morning” wish with the catch phrase, “What’s so good about it?” I suggest that it is our opportunity today to ask what is so good about the news John the Baptist is preaching and about the message he promises Jesus will deliver.

Zephaniah exhorts his audience to shout for joy and sing joyfully. The Psalmist invites us to cry out with joy and gladness, and St. Paul tells the Philippians to rejoice always. I could understand if the exhortation were to be faithful – but joyful?

Sometimes joy is not the first reaction that comes to mind when we are trying to imitate Christ. Truth be told, if someone finds living in imitation of Christ easy, chances are, he or she is not doing a very good job.

Possible, But Not Easy

Turning the other cheek, praying for our persecutors, not casting the first stone, loving our enemies and the rest of Jesus’ teachings are, of course, possible – but not easy. Add to that avoiding the seven deadly sins, obeying the commandments and living virtuously, and, although the possibility remains, the facility continues to wane. It takes work. But still, we are called to joy and rejoicing.

Well, it seems to me that if we’re ever going to understand the “good” part of the Good News everyone is talking about in today’s readings and come to share in the joy they proclaim, we need to accept some basic truths. First, they never say things are going to be easy. However, they also never say that life is more difficult for the person of faith than for the non-believer. All non-believers are not evil. Many of them try to live the same virtues and avoid the same pitfalls as people of faith. I dare say some of them do it better!

Being a good person, faith based or not, is in itself a challenge at times. Yet, people of faith are called to find joy in the challenge, and the readings tell us why.

Zephaniah tells his listeners, “Shout for joy … The Lord, your God, is in your midst,” and St. Paul writes, “I say it again: rejoice! … The Lord is near.” Even the Psalmist adds an explanation: “Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.”

John the Baptist’s Gospel challenge is not met with joy because it promises to be pleasant or easy, even if, at times, it is. It is met with joy because underlying the challenge is the promise that Christ is making Himself known, the promise that whatever we have to face in life as men and women of faith, we do not have to face relying solely on our own understanding but on the grace God gives us. We have the Good News that whatever task God places before us comes with the grace to bring it to completion.

So, Grouchy Smurf, what is so good about this day and every day is that we do not face it alone; but, whatever it brings, happy or sad, easy or difficult, we face with the grace of the Lord Who is near.

In this season of evangelization, we pray for those who try to go it at alone.

Readings for the Third Sunday of Advent

Zephaniah 3: 14-18a

Isaiah 12: 2-3, 4, 5-6

Philippians 4: 4-7

Luke 3: 10-18

Msgr. Joseph Calise is the pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish, Williamsburg.