3rd Sunday of Advent - 16 Dec 2012

Zephaniah 3:14-18; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18

You may have heard of the legend of How St. Francis of Assisi taught the people of Gubbio to feed their wolf. It is a strangely humorous story with layer upon layer of meaning. In a nutshell, the people of Gubbio have a problem. The bloody remains of some of their townsfolk start showing up on the streets of their beautiful city when people awake in the morning. Since the people of Gubbio are very proud people, they are convinced that "a stranger" passing through must be responsible for the terrible crime. Nevertheless, they begin to "lock" their doors at night. When more deaths follow, the same denial "that anyone in Gubbio could be responsible for such a thing" is expressed over and over again. And then, someone sees a wolf wandering the streets of Gubbio one night after everyone has retired; and the people of Gubbio realize that there is a wolf living in the dark woods on one side of Gubbio. Of course, this could not be their wolf; because they never asked this wolf to come to Gubbio. Immediately, they begin to find ways to dispatch this wolf.

After a number of futile attempts, the people get desperate enough to approach the holy man of Assisi who has a reputation for being able "to talk to animals". St. Francis "speaks" to the wolf and gives the people what appears to be some strange and, not entirely, welcome advice. He tells the people of Gubbio that they must "feed" their wolf. At the first, the people are not impressed with this suggestion and begin to wonder why they ever approached the holy man in the first place. And, then, something miraculous happens. Bit by bit, people begin to leave food out for the wolf as he prowls the streets of Gubbio. The violent deaths cease and it is not long before every man, woman and child has learned how to "feed their wolf." As a result, the people of Gubbio are transformed. They become more easy-going, less arrogant human beings.

Not surprisingly, when people in churches and seminars are told this story they exhibit a veritable biblical variety of reactions - a case of real life mirroring parable. Some are immediately amused by the story and immediately identify with the proud people of Gubbio. They recognize that haughtiness that has to "blame it on strangers" when something goes wrong. The denial and avoidance of the townsfolk are all too familiar. In laughing at the people of Gubbio as they come to terms with their wolf, they realize that they themselves can find healing and freedom by embracing the negative aspects of themselves, their community and their church, that part of the story that is symbolized by the wonderfully vague image of "the wolf." Other people, however, just don't get it. Or worse, they are offended by the suggestion of a self-identity that incorporates rather than excludes "their" wolf. They decline the invitation to befriend and feed that which they fear most in themselves and each other and miss the opportunity to come to a new and healthier understanding of themselves.
On this third Sunday of Advent, traditionally called gaudete (Joy) Sunday, the church asks us to consider some equally strange advice from scripture. On the one hand Paul tells the folks at Philippi to Rejoice in the Lord always.. And Zephaniah's message is “Rejoice and exult with all your heart.”

Now that sounds like what this season of Yuletide is supposed to be about - good cheer and holiday exuberance and all that. But, when we get to the gospel for this week, John the Baptist is doing what John the Baptist does best - lambasting the tar out of us: Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. And once again we are reminded that the God who is coming is not Santa Claus "who knows whether you are naughty or nice" but Jesus, God with us, the one who demands that we "turn around" and "follow" him.

You see, that's the trouble with listening to the Bible. Instead of finding "joy" through a "positive" psychological assessment of ourselves or the mindless advice to "Be Happy" no matter what is happening, we are told that "joy" is what happens when we respond to that which God demands of us; and what God demands, in the words of John the Baptist, is "repentance" or a change of heart. What the gospel is trying to do for you today is release you from the counterfeit "joy" that some pleasures of the world provide. Real "joy" is what happens when we "confront" our sin, "face up" to what keeps us unhappy, and "turn toward" God's redeeming love.

Today’s readings tell us that Christian joy or happiness is deep down in the heart and is not incompatible with physical and emotional pain or difficult external circumstances. It is, as Jesus says, something that no one can take away from us. The problem is that we identify our happiness with people or things we don’t have and often can’t have. In the first reading the prophet announces a remarkable change that is going to take place: that God is coming to be in the midst of the people. This has always been an ideal to the people of Israel. With God being so close, the people of Jerusalem break into songs of Joy, a theme that opens and closes the reading.

In the second reading Paul tells the Philippians’ community to rejoice in the Lord always. This joy is because of the fruits of the Lord’s glorious work. Each and every one of us has been called before creation to become the object of God’s Divine Plan. What a joy it is to know that God has counted us among those He has chosen. The reason for the joy is obvious. Paul is looking for the final coming of Jesus. Paul also wants their gentleness to be known to everyone. Gentleness is one of the nine fruit of the Holy Spirit as Paul tells the Galatians. When others are moved by the gentleness that flows from our humble beings, they are moved by the fruit of the Holy Spirit that flows through us for the glory of God.

Today’s Gospel John the Baptist preaches repentance, in the face of the coming of the messiah. Contrary to what might have been expected, John does not want the people to abandon their current lives, flee the world and embrace the strict form of asceticism. Instead he asks them to reshape their character and behaviour through adhering to God’s call for justice within their current social structure. John the Baptist here confronts three groups of people: the ordinary people, tax collectors and soldiers. The ordinary people are to share their clothing and food with those who do not have; tax collectors are to stop extortion and stop cheating the people, and the soldiers are to carry out their duties in a fair way and be content with their pay. It is not just regret for the past but the shaping of a future just life. He does not suggest anything extra ordinary. After hearing such wise and sensible teaching, the people were beginning to wonder if John was not actually the Messiah himself.

John, himself however, vehemently denies any messianic claim on his part and points to the one mightier than himself and who is the Messiah. John the Baptist says that the One who is to come would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire. That fire purifies what is good and destroys what is evil. Baptism with the Holy Spirit represents the Sacrament of Confirmation and the receiving of the indwelling Holy Spirit. It means to be sent forth to preach the Gospel to all. Baptism by fire means to be sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit so that we may become holy children of God. John the Baptist ends his words saying, “His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’ This places a challenge to discover what we are really today, wheat or the chaff. That is the question that we have to answer and will make the big difference at His coming. God calls us constantly to change for the better.

The mission of John the Baptist was to transform people and shape them in a spirit of holiness to be ready to accept the Lord. This holiness is something practical involving the daily lives of people. Holiness involves sharing our food with those who have none or very little. Holiness is finding those who are ashamed of their poverty and who will not come forward to ask for food. Holiness is not judgmental! It is full of compassion! It reaches out to those in need, those suffering, those hungry. Holiness embraces honesty and helps us to become more in the likeness of Christ.

This week let us ask in our hearts, whether we are ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus. We also ask whether we are ready to commemorate Christmas with a true spirit of holiness. We also ask the grace to be ready for the final coming of the Lord in a spirit of joy and happiness.