Do you want to know a secret? How can one truly attain joy? Check this out: JOY means J-esus first, O-thers next, Y-ourself last. Let this “advent secret” be our reflection today, the third Sunday of Advent known as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means rejoice. It is from the Latin word gaudium which means joy.
How can we truly rejoice? How can we sing with conviction the popular song that we fondly croon as Christmas arrives-- “Joy to the World”? Let’s try to unravel the secret.
Jesus First. Our hearts are always searching for that which gives joy. Often we look for it in the wrong places and in our passing fancies. We strive hard to gain almost everything the world has to offer: power, honor, riches, pleasure, and what not. Experience will tell that these cannot guarantee a joyful life. We may have gained the whole world but may still feel lost all the more, still wondering about this unexplainable restlessness inside. Great theologians have given an explanation to this: We are created with an inherent orientation towards God. Our hearts are deeply longing for God. Hence, unless Jesus is first in our prioritizing in life, we will never attain joy completely. There will always be a gaping hole in our hearts.
John the Baptist proclaimed the coming of Jesus and God’s Kingdom. In today’s gospel (Lk. 3:10-18), he points to Jesus as the Messiah. “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming…” (v. 16). For John, Jesus is first. John is only the precursor. He does not claim for himself the honor and reverence proper to the Messiah. “I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals” (v. 16). John’s life is at the service of Jesus. He humbly prepares for Jesus’ coming. His whole life points to Jesus. Jesus for John is first.
In this advent season, do we long for Jesus? Should we not re-examine our priorities in life? Do our lives point to Jesus as John’s life did? If our lives do not have joy despite our successes, great are the odds that it is because Jesus does not figure first in our priorities.
Others Next. The joy of having Jesus in our lives has practical implications. Such joy invites us to reach out to others. We are confronted with this question: “What ought we to do?” The crowds asked John the same question, “What then should we do?” (v.10). John’s reply indicates a moral obligation towards others. To the crowds, he gave the instruction to share their clothes and food to those who have none; to the tax collector, to refrain from collecting taxes more than what is prescribed; to the soldiers, to stop extorting and accusing others falsely (v. 11-14).
The world today is teeming with poor and hungry people. Yet the few filthy rich people are wallowing in luxury! Graft and corruption too has become a culture in almost all institutions and politico-economic systems. Abuse of power, be it by public officials or by military around the world, continue to wreak havoc on the life of peoples. John’s message has never been more relevant than today. For this world to find joy, it needs transformation. John’s call is for us to become agents of this change by taking seriously our moral obligation to take care of one another in solidarity and in the spirit of justice and love, respecting each other’s dignity with a special concern for the downtrodden.
Can we truly sing “Joy to the World”? Won’t it be just a wishful thinking? How have we been accomplice to the perpetuation of the suffering of many? Can we then make this season of advent a time to be truly concerned about the needs of others? After all, the joy of having Jesus compels us to share it with one another in solidarity.
Yourself Last. Another clear implication of having Jesus as the priority of our lives has to do with our very own selves. Another question confronts us. After asking “What should we do?” we need to ask, “What should we become?” Being last in the priority does not mean we stop caring about ourselves. No. It means we stop being self-centered which is the root of the world’s misery and, ironically, of our own desolation too. “What should we become?” is a question that compels us to discern God’s intention for our being. Instead of being self-centered, we need to find the center of our being. It is only when we are in touch with the core of ourselves that we know who we really are and hence capable of celebrating true joy—one that runs deep and not just the cheap thrill of our superficial ego trips.
John the Baptist knew who he was. Hence, he saved himself from the illusion of usurping for himself what belonged to the true messiah. With joy he served and died as the humble precursor for that was what God called him to become.
In this season of advent, let us unmask our self-centeredness and courageously embrace our real vocation.
Again to have joy, deep, deep down in our hearts, we have to work on this advent secret: Jesus first, Others next, and Yourself last.
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