Homily: 3rd Sunday in Advent – Cycle A
Very often, throughout our lives, we look to others to assure us. This starts from our youngest ages. For example, an infant is startled by something and so begins to cry until a parent comes to soothe the child, assuring him/her that everything is okay. A toddler stumbles and takes a dramatic fall. Even if experiencing a little pain, often he/she will look first to a parent as if to ask: “How is mom/dad reacting?” “Is this really bad, or am I going to be okay?” If the parent doesn’t react strongly, and if the pain isn’t strong, the child will often realize that he/she is okay and the stumble doesn’t end in tears. Or how about when a child goes off to school for the first time. As he/she is walking into the school (and away from his/her parent), he/she often looks back at the parent, hoping to receive further assurances that he/she will be okay as he/she steps into this strange new world.
As adults, this continues. Anytime some difficulty or tragedy befalls us–for example, the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, a breakup in a relationship–we instinctively look to others–siblings, cousins, or close friends–seeking comfort and assurance that somehow we will get through this and that it will be okay. In fact, each of us knows, I’m sure, that the first thing any of us is likely to say if we are called on to support someone suffering a tragedy is this: “Don’t worry. It’s going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.”
Sometimes, the assurances we receive come not in the form of words, but rather by pointing to evidence that demonstrates the assurance. For example, if a young person is feeling discouraged, a parent or mentor might say to him/her something like this: “Remember when you didn’t think you could play soccer, but you tried and were successful?” or “Remember when you tried that course in school and were struggling, but your professor helped you work through it?” or “Remember when you had that breakup and you prayed and God helped you find healing and strength?" In these moments, the others look to assure the person by pointing to evidence that either soothes his/her anxiety or points to his/her resilience and so assures him/her that things will be okay again this time.
In our Scriptures today, both of these types of assurances are modeled for us. In the first reading, God, through the prophet Isaiah, assures the Israelite people that they will be redeemed from exile and will return to their homeland. He assures them not with simple promises that “it will be okay”, but rather with bold proclamations of amazing signs and wonders that will accompany it. The desert will bloom with flowers, making the journey back to their land joy-filled and exultant. The eyes of the blind will see, the ears of the deaf will hear, the limbs of the lame will become strong, and the tongues of the mute will speak so that all will make the journey in joy and will give praise to God who has set them free. (By the way, God must like the sign of making the desert bloom with flowers, as it was used as a sign by Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego and Bishop Zumarraga, as we so happily remembered a couple of days ago!) This prophecy given to Isaiah was God using words to assure his people to hold on to hope that their redemption was at hand.
And in the Gospel reading, we heard how Jesus responded to the disciples of John whom John had sent to ask this question: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Here, Jesus did not respond with words of assurance, saying things like, “Yes, I am. You don’t need to worry and you don’t need to look for another.” Rather, he responded by pointing to evidence that itself would assure them: “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 the good news proclaimed to them.” John and his disciples were familiar with Isaiah’s prophecies, and they were also familiar with the miracles that Jesus was performing and with what he was teaching. Therefore, they would have felt greatly assured by Jesus’ words and any anxiety about following Jesus would have been relieved.
Throughout the Advent season, we are called to look for, to anticipate, and to prepare for the second coming of Jesus. As we do, we are reminded of the assurances that we’ve been given that he will indeed come again. First, of course, we receive the assurances in words: like the second reading from the epistle of the apostle Saint James, in which he encourages hope-filled patience “because the coming of the Lord is at hand”. Second, we are invited to receive the same evidential assurance from Jesus himself, as we are invited to remember the many miracles that Jesus performed, which demonstrated that he was “the one who [was] to come”. Still further, in this Mass, we remember an even more powerful assurance: the Paschal Mystery of the passion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. While the miracles and teachings of Jesus were evidential assurance that Jesus was “the one who [was] to come” to John and his disciples, the passion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus–all of which he foretold would take place–is the evidential assurance for us that Jesus was “the one who [was] to come”, that his words continue to be true and reliable, and, therefore, that his promise of a second coming is assured. Still further, the witness and teaching of the saints throughout the centuries–including the numerous appearances of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary–continue to provide evidence to the truth that Jesus’ second coming is assured.
We celebrate this yearly remembrance because, nearly two thousand years later, it can be easy for us to start to lose hope for his return. Thus, we connect our yearly reminder to look for his second coming with our celebration of the anniversary of his first coming–that is, his birth as Emmanuel, God with us–since it is his first coming that most assures us of his second coming.
Friends, as we go into this week–especially as our focus begins to turn to our celebration of Jesus’ first coming–let’s spend some time reflecting on the many assurances that we have received of God’s presence with us now and that he will come again, and let us allow these assurances to renew our hope in his coming. Because, with renewed hope, we can confidently endure the challenges we face daily in this world, trusting that, by our patient endurance, we will see the fulfillment of our hope: a life of perfect joy with God for eternity. (This, regardless of whether we see his coming in this lifetime or stand on the other side with the choirs of saints and angels when he comes.) Still further, our renewed hope will strengthen us to give witness to others, especially those living without hope in our community. What better gift can we give than hope in the coming of Jesus, who will take this broken world and make it completely new?
Therefore, let us give thanks to God for these assurances of faith as we offer this Eucharist. And as we receive strength in body and spirit from this holy meal, let us recommit ourselves to be witnesses of hope in the coming of the Lord to all those around us. The Little Virgin, Our Lady of Guadalupe, is our model and protectress. Trusting in her prayers, let us take up this good work and look with confidence for our Lord to come again. Come, Lord Jesus!
Given in Spanish at Saint Patrick Parish: Kokomo, IN – December 14th, 2025
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