R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.

And this is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests
and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it,
but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘make straight the way of the Lord,’”
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent.
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.

Today we celebrate Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for “be joyful”. Our Advent is half over and we are close to celebrating the Nativity of Our Lord on Christmas Day. Holy Mother Church sets a tone of joyful expectation for the Lord’s birth and Second coming. She sets aside the color violet and uses rose-colored vestments as a visible sign of light verses dark.

Today’s sacred readings bring us closer to the Advent of Christ for the word “advent” means coming. In today’s Sacred Gospel reading John was sent from God to “testify to the light.” His answers to the questions posed by the priests, Levites, and Pharisees prepare the world for the coming of Christ.

John knew time was of the essence and he didn’t waste time or mince words telling it like it is: Repent. Make straight the way of the Lord for God’s eternal plan for our salvation was in motion and quickly being implemented. Take advantage of the Sacrament of Confession during this Advent Season. Fr. Rudjack will be hearing Confessions immediately after this Mass.

While some reacted with disdain, others reacted with joy as they anticipated the coming of the Messiah.

Joy is the theme of this week’s liturgy.

As I visit nursing facilities, I take notice of the activities the staff make available to the residents. Good activity coordinators know that, even though one may be in their later years, there is still a great desire to have joy in one’s life.

There once was an elderly volunteer who would go daily to a particular nursing facility to share his faith in Jesus Christ as he read Scripture to the residents.

Then one day, something happened. He began to have difficulty seeing. A diagnosis showed that he was rapidly going blind and there was no cure.

The next day he did not show up at the facility; nor did he show up the day after; nor the following weeks.

One of the staff heard about the prognosis  and decided to pay him a visit. She was concerned for his emotional health and wondered if he would even answer the door. And if he did, would he invite her in or want to be left alone?

To her surprise, the elderly man answered the door with a smile. He invited her in and they had a nice visit during which he told her, “Ever since I learned that I was rapidly going blind, I’ve been reading and memorizing the most important parts of the Gospel. I’ve already memorized Jesus’ birth, several of His miracles and parables, and His Death and Resurrection.

“I’ve been repeating these over and over again to make sure I’ve got the right. In about a week I’ll be back sharing my Faith in Jesus Christ and, instead of reading Scripture, will be sharing what I memorized about Jesus with them.”

The woman asked, “Aren’t you depressed or mad at God?”, to which the man responded, “How can I be? Jesus came into this world to give me life. The blind shall see, the lame shall walk, and all people will see the Salvation of God.” Then he added, “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul” (Is 61:10).

Within a few days, the volunteer returned to the nursing facility and resumed his daily routine of sharing his faith in Christ. Eventually he went totally blind. But that didn’t stop him as he eagerly shared his faith in Jesus Christ by sharing Scripture passages from memory with the residents and their guests with great joy.

Today’s first reading from Isaiah begins, “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, …he has sent me to bring glad tiding to the poor.” That same Spirit is in John the Baptist and the elderly volunteer as well. Just as John went into the solitude of the desert, the volunteer went to the solitude of his home in order to prepare for his mission. Both came forth to bring glad tidings of Jesus to the lowly.

The Spirit of the Lord is also upon us for we have been anointed at our Baptism to bring glad tidings of Jesus to the poor. We too must come out of our desert and proclaim God’s Word to others.

In these final weeks of Advent, what are some ways we can find to proclaim Christ in our homes, places of work or school; to our families, relatives, friends, and even those we don’t know by name.

As we light the rose-colored candle our Advent wreath, spend some time in quiet reflection on what Christ’s coming means to you. Make a point of sending Christmas cards that contain a religious sentiment to our neighbors and friends, and with a smile wishing all a “Blessed and Merry Christmas”.

And let’s not forget to spend some time in solitude where we can ponder God’s Word and be inspired how to be joyful bearers of Christ to others. And let us remember to follow St. John the Baptist as we “make straight the way of the Lord” (Jn:1-23).

Gaudete; Rejoice.

Deacon Mark Izzo, Permanent Deacon, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica – Saint Anthony Parish

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God.

I rejoice heartily in the LORD,
in my God is the joy of my soul;
for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation
and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,
like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem,
like a bride bedecked with her jewels.
As the earth brings forth its plants,
and a garden makes its growth spring up,
so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise
spring up before all the nations.

R. (Is 61:10b) My soul rejoices in my God.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
R. My soul rejoices in my God.
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
R. My soul rejoices in my God.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
R. My soul rejoices in my God.

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophetic utterances.
Test everything; retain what is good.
Refrain from every kind of evil.

May the God of peace make you perfectly holy
and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body,
be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful,
and he will also accomplish it.

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.