Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

FR MICHAEL BOAKYE YEBOAH

CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF KUMASI, GHANA.

BE JOYFUL IN WAITING…

            A call for great rejoicing is announced to us by the inspired writers in today’s Liturgy of the Word. Traditionally during the first and second weeks in the season of Advent, Mother Church puts her children in a semi-penitential mode of deep reflection and renewal of life. After leading her children in the school of penance for two weeks, she invites them on the third week to regale their lives in euphoria and bliss because of the nearness of their Savior’s birthday festivities. The change is very much felt with the choice of liturgical colors and songs.

            For most of Advent the Church features the purple color, a symbol of penance and sober reflection. On the Third Sunday of Advent, Mother Church clothes her priests with rose color vestments and lights a rose candle. In the secular world, rose is a colour of gratitude, grace, and joy. In like manner (in the church) the rose color symbolizes joy as it breaks the penitential mood of the season of Advent. It is in this joyful mode that mother church changes her songs also and intones for us to sing with the antiphon: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.”

            As Mother church changes her liturgical colors and songs so also, she gives us appropriate readings to fit the occasion. Through the pen of Isaiah, James, and Matthew our hearts are filled with joyful hope.

            Isaiah the prophet informed his listeners of the radical changes that will visit the life of the people when the Lord comes to them. The inspired writer wrote: “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…” In the world we live in today, billions of people have reason to deny themselves this festive joy they are being invited to in today’s liturgy because their life situations can be likened to a desert. How can a desert rejoice when it has nothing to rejoice with? We do not feast in a vacuum; we feast with certain elements of merry making. Many people are suffering from the economic recession that seems to affect many economies in the world, while others are suffering from ill health. But we should remember that such was also the situation of the Israelites when Isaiah was called to minister at their time. Their life situations could be likened to a desert and yet Isaiah brought them this message of joyful hopefulness.

            One can experience the joy of the Lord if (s)he can wait in patience. On the value of patience, St James has this to say in the second reading: “Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient…”

            The current predicaments or challenges in our world needs the Lord’s intervention. As we wait for the Lord, we should not live a life of unhappiness but rather a life of joy. We should be joyful in waiting because of our faith that the Lord will never disappoint us. Because challenges in life can make one feeble, weak and lose heart, the inspired writer encouraged us with these words: as we await the joyful coming of the Lord, Let us “strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak…” and he encourages us to say to the frightened “Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense, he comes to save you…” Whatever is one’s life situation it is only in the Lord that one can receive deliverance and healing.

            John the Baptist in today’s gospel passage gives us a great example of the benefits that await those who wait on the Lord joyfully. He was the last prophet to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He was vehemently convinced that those who wait on the Lord were to reap the benefits of his coming and he was not disappointed when the Lord came. The inspired writer tells us that when he heard of Jesus, he sent to ask him if he was the one to come or they should wait on another and Jesus responded with evidence: “…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 good news proclaimed to them…”

            You will not be in the grave before God visits us with deliverance and healing. I pray that God will let most of us reap the benefits of waiting for him before we join him in eternity. Challenges in life at times can make one lose faith in the Lord and make him or her seek other alternative solutions. I would like to beg you all to be patience and wait for the Lord for surely, he will come and intervene in our respective situations and bring us joy. Isaiah the prophet was right when he said: “…but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not get tired… (Isaiah 40:31). Be joyful in waiting. OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PRAY FOR US.