December 13, 2009 THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
13 DECEMBER 2009, 5:15, 8:00, 10:30
READINGS: Zephaniah 3:14-18a; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 1:10-18
SAINT MARY PARISH, VIROQUA
Introduction: Dear John the Baptist is with us again this Sunday in Advent. People have been drawn to him because of his courage, his wisdom, his holiness. Over and over today the same question is asked of him, “What ought we to do?”
1. In some respects we can answer that same question only for ourselves. When confronted with life altering questions we need to search within for the answers. Still, let me suggest four answers to the question. All these answers are choices. First, choose Jesus. He is our companion, our friend. After all, he has chosen us to be his companions too!
2. Secondly, choose to live life morally. We remember that to live according to a moral code is not simply to follow the rules. It is to do what is best for us. Sin is wrong not because it is against a moral law; it is wrong because it hurts us; sin demeans us. You remember the biblical story of Cain who killed his brother Abel. He suffered the results of that act the rest of his life. From him we learn that every murder is a suicide. Every sin is a suicide of sorts.
3. Thirdly (and this is a longer answer) choose to love. A native of India named Sundar converted to Christianity. He tried to be a witness to Christ in his native land. One late afternoon Sundar was traveling on foot high in the Himalaya Mountains with a Buddhist monk. It was bitter cold and the night was coming on. The monk warned that they were in danger of freezing to death if they did not reach the monastery before the darkness fell. It so happened that as they crossed over a narrow path above a steep cliff, they heard a cry for help. Deep down in the ravine a man had fallen, and he lay wounded. His leg was broken and he couldn’t walk. The monk warned Sundar, “Do not stop. God has brought this man to his fate. He must work it out by himself. That is the tradition. Let us hurry on before we perish.” But Sundar replied, “It’s my tradition now that God has brought me here to help my brother. I cannot abandon him.” So the monk set off through the heavily falling snow. Sundar climbed down to the wounded man. He took a blanket from his knapsack and made a sling out of it. He got the man into it and hoisted him onto his back; then he began the painful climb back up to the path. After a long time, drenched with perspiration he got back to the path and struggled to make his way through the heavy snow. It was dark now, but he kept on the path. Tired, overheated from exertion. Finally he saw the lights of the monastery. Then, he nearly stumbled and fell…not from weakness. He stumbled over an object lying in the path. He bent down on one knee and brushed the snow from the body of the monk who had frozen to death within sight of the monastery. He realized that his efforts on behalf of the fallen traveler had in fact saved his life. He was warm from exhaustion. The monk froze to death. A charitable deed saved his life. Likewise, charitable deeds save our lives too. Every sin is a suicide; every act of charity is life-giving to the giver.
4. Fourthly, choose joy. I cannot imagine any saint to be a gloomy person. We call this third Sunday of Advent Gaudete Sunday from the Latin word for joy. There are four candles on the Advent wreath, one for each Sunday of the season. The rose colored candle is for this Sunday of Joy; we rejoice always in the Lord. That’s a choice too.
Conclusion: What ought we to do? Choose Jesus, choose to live morally, choose to love, choose to be filled with joy. Share all four!