Dec. 13: 3rd Sunday of Advent. 2009

The last two Sundays dealt with a “public” spirituality–how to live as a nation. This week’s and next week’s readings deal more with an internal, individual spirituality: St. Paul suggests that we each be a person who is joyful at all times, not because we don’t see problems all around us, but because we know God is near to us, and that we can, eventually, work things out with His wisdom. Such was the advice of Zephaniah, too, to the people of his day. He told them that there was no “judgment against them”–in other words, their creativity isn’t “blocked;” they can SOAR, if they choose. And John the Baptist says the same to “individuals” who came for baptism. As each asked what was necessary for him or her to do, he merely responded with gentle encouragement to be decent and fair. What better way to prepare for the One Whose sandal straps we are unworthy to loose?