Choose Joy

Good morning, and Happy Advent. Today we’re blessed with a “two-fer.” It’s the third Sunday of Advent on our Church calendar, of course. But it’s also the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the commemoration of her visitation to St. Juan Diego outside Mexico City almost 600 years ago.

For many of us, what we know about Our Lady of Guadalupe is pretty limited. In the “before times,” this used to be (and hopefully will soon be again) a great celebration for us — a procession, lots of singing and roses, and a fabulous meal to follow. But that’s about it. So here’s the whole story.

In December of 1531, a poor native Mexican believer (St Juan Diego) was on his way to Mass when Our Lady appeared to him near a place called Tepeyac. Mary came to him, not as we usually envision her, but as an Indian like Juan Diego, dressed as an Aztec princess. Speaking to Juan Diego in his native language, Our Lady gave him a message for the bishop in Mexico City — to build a chapel at the site where she had appeared. Juan Diego went to the bishop, a Spanish Franciscan, and told the story of his visitation. And not surprisingly, the bishop dismissed Juan Diego, telling him to bring him a sign. Dispirited, Juan Diego left and went about his business.

But Our Lady came to him again. This time she filled his tilma his cape, with roses to bring to the bishop as a sign. When Juan Diego opened his tilma in front of the bishop, the roses tumbled to the floor — and the bishop went to his knees as well. Because there on the tilma was the image of Our Lady, exactly as she had appeared to him at Tepeyac. Needless to say, the chapel was built.

What makes the visitation of Our Lady of Guadalupe especially significant is that she came not as an outsider, but as one of Juan Diego’s indigenous people — a clear message that the Blessed Mother and her Incarnate Son came not just for some, but for all God’s children. And while some had come into the Church before Our Lady appeared, the natives now came in droves. Records of the time indicate that almost nine million indigenous people, filled with joy at the news of a Savior who came not just for some but for ALL, joined the faith in very short order. And that’s what makes Our Lady of Guadalupe so important for us today.

Today, this third Sunday of Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday, a time for rejoicing and for joy. Our Mass begins with the exhortation “Gaudete in Domino semper”— Rejoice in the Lord always! Our Advent wreath candle and (maybe) vestments are a different color — rose, the color of joy. And the theme of joy runs throughout our readings. Today we rejoice that the Messiah draws near. Two very distinct celebrations, sharing one thing in common.

Many of us have been blessed by being around young children during Advent as they experience the run-up to Christmas. The wide-eyed wonder, the excitement and awe as we deck the halls, bake Christmas cookies, put up the tree, and hang their stockings. And all that joyful anticipation and careful scrutiny as packages begin to appear under the tree. Children don’t worry about the bills, the menu, where to put the guests, or how it all works — all they know is pure joy and wonder and awe.

That’s the joy WE’RE called to <> in our readings today. In the first reading, the prophet Zephaniah encourages Israel to shout out with joy for their expected deliverance by the Lord in their midst. In the Responsorial Psalm, the prophet Isaiah echoes the call, "Shout with exultation, O city of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel." And St. Paul, writing from prison, repeats the call: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again, rejoice...” The message is clear. We are called to that same unwavering, childlike joy — a joy born not from what we see, but from faith in the promise of what is yet to come. All too often though, somewhere along the way we lose that joy, that sense of wonder and expectation of things we cannot see. And that’s very unfortunate.

Which brings us to the lead-in question in our Gospel reading: What should we do?” That’s the question the crowd puts to John the Baptist when called to repent as the Messiah draws near. It’s the question we should ask today as well. John provides the crowd some pretty pragmatic advice — share with those who don’t have enough; be honest in your dealings with others; and use well the gifts granted you by God — to ”Bloom where you are planted,” in the words of St. Francis deSales. And all of that is good - and right - and absolutely essential. We truly need to do all of it.

But on this Gaudete Sunday, we need to do one more thing. We need to CHOOSE to BECOME a PEOPLE OF JOY. Joy is contagious. 600 years ago, before the Internet, television, or even a decent mail system, nine million indigenous Mexicans weren’t drawn to the Living Word by fancy preaching about Our Lady’s appearance to St. Juan Diego, or by the reality of their daily lives. They were drawn by the JOY they saw shining forth from those who believed. And in that JOY they found their way to faith.

So it is with us. Christ is HERE, not just in some future, far off time, but every time we come to the altar and receive his Body and Blood. He’s AMONG us. He’s IN us. But all too often we get distracted from the Truth of God’s love for us. Like that child waiting for Christmas, we need to live in joy - and wonder - and awe at the great gift we’ve already been given.

When we come alive with the joy of Christ within us, we too become beacons of God’s love to the world, with a contagious joy that draws others to faith. As a people of faith, we need to choose joy, to become an “Advent People” filled with faith and hope and joy, not just for today or during this Advent season, but every day of our lives. Because in our joy, we bring others to Christ.