The Third Sunday of Advent (Year C), Dec. 14, 2003
Zeph. 3:14-20; Psalm 85 or 85:7-13 or Canticle 9; Phil. 4:4-9; Luke 3:7-18
In churches with Advent wreaths, this is the Sunday on which the pink (technically “rose”) candle is lit. Halfway to the celebration of the arrival of the King, the Church bids us “Rejoice!” This strikes a very different tone than the one which characterized the previous two Sundays. In the first two weeks of Advent we were called to repentance in preparation for the day of judgment. Today’s gospel, which once again features the preaching of John the Baptist, takes up that theme again. However, another idea plays counterpoint as St. Luke tells us that “the people were filled with expectation.”
The gospel reading begins with John warning the people in rather severe terms about the judgment that awaits them if they do not repent. But it ends with Luke’s declaration that the exhortations of John are really good news. Judgment may not seem like good news, but there is more to the message of John, and the message of Advent, than judgment. The age to come will be a time of judgment for some, but a time of redemption for those who embrace John’s message. The other readings of the day amplify these themes.
This is the only Sunday in our three-year lectionary on which we read from the little scroll of the minor prophet Zephaniah. It is a singularly apt choice, for the bulk of Zephaniah is taken up with prophecies of doom for the sinful nation of Judah in the days of King Josiah. But it concludes with God’s promise to cleanse and restore his people. The passage we hear today is a song of rejoicing over the redemption which the Lord himself will bring.
The lesson from Paul’s letter to the Philippians has been read on the third Sunday of Advent for centuries and is the source of the Introit which is sung at the beginning of the Eucharist in catholic tradition: “Rejoice in the Lord always...” As we anticipate the coming of the Lord, Paul tells us not to worry about anything. On first hearing, this may seem a bit different than the message of John, but it is really just the other side of the same coin.
There can be no doubt that Paul took sin just as seriously as John the Baptist did. But both John and Paul preached redemption for those who repent. The point is, if our spiritual house is in order by virtue of our repentance and God’s grace, we have nothing to fear and we can look ahead with joyful expectation. To the unrepentant sinner the cry, “The Lord is near,” is enough to strike fear into the heart. But to the faithful, that same cry should give rise to sheer joy, and the peace which “surpasses all understanding.”
Look It Up
Compare the collect of the day (“Stir up your power, O Lord...”, BCP, page 212) with the collect for the Fourth Sunday in Advent in the 1928 prayer book (page 95). The 1979 version abbreviates the old collect, making it less wordy and focusing today’s lectionary themes clearly.
Think About It
For Christians trying to observe Advent, the clash of cultures can be very trying. On the other hand, isn’t this clash just what John the Baptist was getting at? Although we may not be able to avoid the secular holiday season, can we still find ways to use it spiritually?
Next Sunday
The Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year C), Dec. 21, 2003
Micah 5:2-4; Psalm 80 or 80:1-7; Heb. 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-56
