Called to be Joyful and Happy!

Third Sunday of Advent 09

(Gaudete Sunday)

“Called to be Joyful & Happy”

Introduction

Don’t panic we have 12 more sleeps to go before Christmas!

The Rose candle in our advent wreath and Rose vestment I am wearing today indicates our deep joy for the coming birth of our Saviour. The liturgical colour Rose we have today, the sign of our joy, also confront us with these questions as we journey through this advent season:

Are you really happy in your life today? Is there joy in your life? Are you still searching for joy and peace? What is the source of your joy? Is the nearness of Christmas causes you some deep joy or it’s the opposite? Or maybe you are too busy that you didn’t have the time to even think about it?

Joy vs Happiness

Have you ever wonder the difference between joy and happiness? At first glance, joy and happiness may seem similar but, really, they are quite different.

HAPPINESS, according to the Oxford English dictionary, is based on luck or good fortune. JOY on the other hand, is described as extreme gladness or a vivid emotion of pleasure.

HAPPINESS depends on circumstance; JOY, on our emotional well-being. We may feel absolutely happy if we win the lottery, but we feel joy when there is peace within us or in our family and loved ones.

HAPPINESS mostly depends on something that is passing. For instance I am happy with my new watch which I just bought the other day; I wear it when I sleep. I wear it when I go for shower. I wear it all the time. But after a while, when I get used to my watch, when it's no longer new, would I still be happy? Maybe I will be a new one.

Happiness is fleeting. More often happiness expires. As soon as the object of what makes us happy is gone then you are no longer happy.

Happiness is most of the time is self-centered. I want this want this. This is mine. I deserved this toy, I want this car, this house and I deserved that. I deserve want to be happy. Nothing wrong with that. But notice the word happiness has “I” is the center. “I am” the center of the universe.

Last year I went to see this great musical called “Miss Saigon.” It’s about a love story between American soldier and a Vietnamese bar girl during the Vietnam War. After the show, I had the chance to talk with the main actress who is a Filipina but based in America. She is very pretty, charming and friendly. Maybe because I forgot to tell her I am a priest.

After that fateful conversation, I was held up by a group of Filipinas who looked very excited, I thought I knew them from the church so I smiled to be friendly. I was surprised they were asking for my autograph and would take picture with me! They thought I was one of the actors from Miss Saigon. I felt really popular. But it wasn’t long before they realised I was only an audience like them. It was my 30 second experience of FAME!

It was a good feeling though, unfortunately I didn’t last long.

JOY as a state of mind that does not depend on worldly things such as popularity, beauty, money, or longer holidays. JOY is always a part of who we are and how we view the world. A JOYFUL person doesn’t need to have a supermodel body to be joyful.

JOY to Discover

Joy is something we discover within us. We feel joy when we appreciate life, when we recognize our freedom, and when we dwell on our successful relationships with other people; ULTIMATELY we feel JOY when we have faith in something larger than ourselves.

There is JOY when we know that there is God who is not distant, but already in our midst. We REJOICE in the presence of God who can bring us peace, harmony and unity despite tension around us, financial or health problem. The JOY we find in God is our ADVENT JOY!

There is nothing wrong to be happy, God wants us to be happy, but we need to balance our priority: Would you search for happiness or would you invest your time in searching for joy?

Scripture message

The Scripture readings invite us all to welcome God in our life if we want to be a JOYFUL person. In the first Reading, Prophet Zephaniah announces, “Shout for joy...sing joyfully...be glad and exult with all your heart.” St. Paul writes to the Philippians, telling them,(us) to “rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!”

In the Gospel, John the Baptist humbly points us to the ONE Person who alone can give us lasting JOY – that is JESUS. JESUS is the Source of our Joy.

The word JOY itself give us the key to find joy in our life. JOY (JESUS, OTHERS, YOU). To love Jesus first, to Love others second, to love Yourself last.

Let us use these remaining days before Christmas as a time of revival and renewal of our faith and love to JESUS, so that Christmas will be a time of DEEP JOY.

They say, there are three levels of Christmas: The commercial level, the survival level, and the spiritual level. May we all be fulfilled on these three! However, let us prioritize. Let us start with the spiritual level.

It can be a real tragedy, with all the glittering Christmas lights around us, to miss the true Light, the source of our JOY – only Jesus, always Jesus, forever Jesus.

Prayer

"Lord Jesus, help us not only to find joy

but also to be a faithful witness of the joy of the gospel

and during this Christmas

help us to point others to you

as John did through his testimony."

Amen.

Humanda sa Pagdating (Prepare for the Coming)

Second Sunday of Advent C

December 5-6, 2009

Prepare the Way of the Lord

Joke 1

A man who thought he was John the Baptist was disturbing the neighbourhood. So for public safety, he was forcefully taken to the psychiatric ward of a hospital.

He was put in a room with another crazy patient. He immediately began his routine, “I am John the Baptist! The Lord has sent me as the forerunner of Christ the Messiah!”

The other guy looked at him and declared, “I am the Lord your God. I did not send you!”

Joke 2 (2nd Try)

What do Winnie the Pooh and John the Baptist have in common?

Answer: They both have the same middle name.(THE)

Introduction

In today’s Liturgy of the Word, the figure that stands out, without any doubt, is John the Baptist, and this message of his, “Prepare the Way of the Lord.” Today this voice of John the Baptist echoes not only in all Masses here at Queen of Peace, but it is proclaimed in all churches all over the world. Because we are now in the period of these weeks of Advent, the time in which we are preparing to celebrate the coming of our Redeemer.

In this Second Sunday of Advent, we ponder John’s words, “Prepare the Way of the Lord.” What does it mean to “Prepare the way of the Lord?” And what kind of preparation we need to do during this Advent season?

Advent is a time of preparation for the past, future and present coming of Jesus.

Past Coming

First we prepare for the ‘past coming’ of Jesus, when the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to the Redeemer in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago. We prepare to celebrate the ‘past coming’ of Jesus, that is His birthday, when God became flesh, entering the history of humanity. Notice the first part of the Gospel, it gives us some names of political leaders during time of Jesus such as Tiberius Caesar and Pontius Pilate. They were proofs that in a particular era of human history, God, through Jesus, became human like us except sin. We prepare for the ‘past coming’ of Jesus, his birthday on Christmas day. Jesus is what Christmas is all about (period).

I saw a super market TV commercial the other day; it shows a happy family eating together around a big table. It ends with this message: “Christmas is about family, giving and fresh food; that is what Christmas is all about.” I said to myself? What happen to Jesus? How would you feel when your family excluded you on your birthday celebration?

Celebrating Christmas without Jesus is like going to a Christening without a baby.

Future Coming

Secondly advent is time of preparation for the future coming of Jesus on the last day. We always need to be prepared on the Second Coming of Lord. The clamour of John the Baptist “Prepare the way of the Lord” is a call for repentance. Repentance means turning our heart and mind from sin, indifference and skepticism, to trust and obedience to God's word.

Advent is an opportune time to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receive the unconditional love and forgiveness of God. Advent time is the time we reconcile to one another – to restore broken relationship. It’s about time ring up someone and say “sorry”.

Only through our humble repentance and conversion of our heart and mind will make us ready to stand in confidence before the Son of Man, ‘the future coming of Jesus’ either on our death or on the Last Day.

Present Coming

Thirdly, advent is time of preparation for the ‘present coming of Jesus’, when Jesus enters into our hearts today, not tomorrow or yesterday, not later, but here and now, at this point of time.

Last Thursday evening, Maria Forde who is a singer/songwriter conducted an Advent reflection using her music. She said, “advent is a time to be in touch with ourselves.” It’s a time to reflect what really matters in your life or what is it that’s worthwhile for you and your family? She said, for some Christmas will pass be just like another day with no meaning. For some Christmas time only brings financial burden and pressure of buying thing we cannot afford. For some Christmas time is the loneliest part of the year due to deaths or separation in the family

Jesus is coming to our life wherever we are in the present moment whether we in good disposition or not. Part of preparation this Advent is to welcome Jesus in our present moment, that is now. Whatever our condition is in our relation to God, John the Baptist speaks to you and me, "Prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight” so in the end “we shall see the salvation of God.”

Prayer

We pray to you Lord,

to open our mind and heart to see your grace

It is just our sins that prevent us from seeing you.

May we return to your merciful embrace

and accept your loving invitation.

You wanted us to be reunited with You

So help us Lord to prepare your way inside ourself

and made the paths straight

so that we would be there to welcome you.

Amen.