The Third Sunday of Advent traditionally is called Gaudate
Sunday, a name which comes from the first
word of the Latin Mass introit on this Sunday:
Gaudate, “be joyful, or
“rejoice.” The color is sometimes lightened to rose, signaling that we are more
than halfway to Christmas. Some people
call this “Stir Up Sunday” because of the first words of the Collect of the
Day.
The Collect of the Day
Stir up
your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely
hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and
deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy
Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
1st Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10
Last week Isaiah’s vision
(11:1-10) was of nature transformed, especially the natural enemies within the
animal kingdom. This week the land is
transformed as well. This is especially
true of the wilderness, the desert, the places hostile to the people of
God. The highway of which Isaiah speaks
is the way back to Israel from Babylon, where much of Israel has been in
exile. Read Psalm 137—a description of
life in exile. This vision is meant to be its opposite.
35:1
The
wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and
blossom; like the crocus 2 it shall
blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon
shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the
glory of the Lord, the majesty of
our God. 3 Strengthen the weak
hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say
to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save
you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall
be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6
then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the
speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and
streams in the desert; 7 the
burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the
haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
8 A highway shall be there, and it
shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall
be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any
ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed
shall walk there. 10 And the
ransomed of the Lord shall return,
and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they
shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Canticle:
The Song of Mary (Luke 1:46b-55)
In place of a psalm today, we are using Mary’s song upon hearing the greeting
of her cousin Elizabeth, in the translation from The Book of Common Prayer
(Canticle 15). It is commonly known as “the Magnificat” (the
first word in its Latin translation). Mary rejoices in what God has done for
her but sees a much larger implication:
the overturning of systems of oppression. She also sings in unity with
her ancestor Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10). Her song also anticipates the words of
her son in today’s Gospel reading.
My soul proclaims the greatness
of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God
my Savior; *
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all
generations will call me blessed: *
The
Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy
is his Name.
He has mercy on those who
fear him *
in every
generation.
He has shown the strength
of his arm, *
he has
scattered the proud in their conceit,
He has cast down the
mighty from their thrones, *
and
lifted up the lowly.
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,
The promise made to our fathers,
*
Or this
Psalm 146:4-9
Psalms 146-150 are sometimes called the “Hallelujah”
psalms, as they are all psalms of celebration that begin and end with
“Hallelujah” (Hebrew for “Praise the Lord”). Collectively, they serve as a kind
of doxology to the entire collection of psalms. Psalm 146 declares happy (or
blessed) those who hope in God and then proceeds to give reasons, a description
of the God of Israel.
4 Happy are they who have the
God of Jacob for their help! *
whose
hope is in the Lord their God;
5 Who made heaven and earth,
the seas, and all that is in them;*
who
keeps his promise for ever;
6 Who gives justice to those
who are oppressed, *
and
food to those who hunger.
7 The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord
opens the eyes of the blind; *
the
Lord lifts up those who are bowed
down;
8 The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord
cares for the stranger; *
he
sustains the orphan and widow,
but
frustrates the way of the wicked.
9 The Lord shall reign for ever, *
your
God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
2nd Reading: James 5:7-10
Our second reading reminds us
that we are still in Advent and still pondering the mystery of the Lord’s
future coming. Patience is needed, the
patience of a farmer. Strength is also needed, and the will to keep from
grumbling. All this is to protect us
from anxiety and fear. The prophets are
an example to us because they suffered while they were patient, steadfastly
speaking a word of hope.
5:7 Be patient, therefore, beloved,
until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the
earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also must be patient. Strengthen your
hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9 Beloved,
do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the
Judge is standing at the doors! 10 As
an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in
the name of the Lord.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:2-11
On the
Third Sunday of Advent we read something about the relationship between John
the Baptist and Jesus. In this passage from Matthew we get a perspective from
both sides. John, from prison, asks if Jesus is truly the one for whom they
have been waiting. Clearly, he has some doubts, perhaps simply because he is in
prison, but perhaps also because reports about Jesus’ ministry are not meeting
John’s expectations of the Messiah. Jesus, on the other hand, is clear about
John’s purpose and appreciative of it. John was to prepare the way, and that
was a mighty task. Yet in the ultimate manifestation of this way—the kingdom of
heaven—all will know this greatness, and more.
11:2 When John heard in prison what
the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to
come, or are we to wait for another?” 4 Jesus
answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the
blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf
hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. 6 And blessed is anyone who takes no offense
at me.” 7 As they went away, Jesus
began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to
look at? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What
then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear
soft robes are in royal palaces. 9 What
then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a
prophet. 10 This is the one about
whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will
prepare your way before you.’ 11 Truly
I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the
Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
The
Scripture quotations (except for the psalm) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ
in the U.S.A. All rights reserved. The Collect of the Day and the translation of
the Psalm are from The Book of Common
Prayer. Commentaries copyright © 2019
Epiphany ESources, 67 E. Main St., Hornell, NY 14843, www.epiphanyesources.com. All rights reserved. Permission is given to copy for group study.
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