Third Sunday of Advent / Gaudete Sunday Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11 Are you the one we are seeking?
Today marks the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday (“Rejoice” in Latin). In our daily lives, when we eagerly await a significant event, we often seek advice from those we trust, finding comfort in their words. At times, we lean toward believing human assurances rather than the unseen God.
In our spiritual journey, we similarly yearn for eternal happiness. We entrust ourselves to the teachings proclaimed by God’s servants, receive Baptism to unite with Christ in His death and resurrection, and desire to draw from the infinite grace of divine love. Yet, like John the Baptist and his disciples, we may focus on seeking temporal blessings rather than the transformative gift of the Spirit.
On this Joyful Sunday, let us shift our gaze. Instead of relying on human expectations, let us discern the signs of God’s presence in our lives through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. May we embrace Him fully, allowing our thoughts, words, and deeds to conform to His likeness, becoming new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr Gospel: Matthew 11:16-19 Learn to discern, learn to act
We sometimes encounter the same confusion as the disciples who asked Jesus questions today. Because our lives are often bewitched by various individuals and our own selfish desires, we lose the motivation to pursue eternal happiness and even become sceptical of everything we believe in. This attitude gradually distances us from God and leaves us lost in life as time passes.
Let us constantly observe the work that God has begun within us through contemplation and discern God’s call to us carefully in life. Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we should experience God’s love in life, just as Saint Lucy, whom we celebrate today, bravely testified for Christ, living the spirit of the Gospel in our daily lives. This prompts our souls, like Elijah, to always welcome the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and to enter, together with our Lord Christ, into that inaccessible light, where we can behold the radiant faces of the Holy Trinity.
Friday of the Second Week of Advent / Our Lady of Guadalupe Gospel: Matthew 11:16-19 Be Like Children and Learn to Discern
At times, we are like those children: outwardly we may seem pure and act in a most holy manner, yet deep in our hearts we refuse to reconcile with God for the sins we have committed, feeling perfectly at peace with all that we do. We may even regard those who live each day in accordance with Christ’s teachings as fools (cf. Mt.11:18). Moreover, through our carnal lens, we look upon those who always proclaim the Gospel to us and in all places in keeping with the Savior’s instructions, thinking that they are friends of public sinners (cf. Mt.11:19) rather than friends of God. As a result, we remain under the dominion of sin and death, not under the grace of God. We are led to death by the impulses of our flesh, instead of embracing life and peace through trusting in the Holy Spirit of God and following His guidance.
Today, the Church celebrates the Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which reminds us of this truth: we must learn to entrust ourselves fully to God. Amid the vicissitudes of earthly life, through contemplative prayer, we should listen to the Word of God and the dialogue that God establishes with our souls deep within us. With concrete actions, we are to fully do the will of God and live out the joy of the Gospel, so that those around us may also be filled with joy and hope and walk with us on the pilgrimage of hope.
全属于祢 
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