In the Name of the Father, and of the +
Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
At first blush, today’s Gospel reading and the ceremonies seem
contradictory. We name this Sunday, “Gaudete,” the Latin word for “Rejoice.” This
name comes to us in the antiphon, or the phrases repeated at the beginning and
end of the Introit: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, ‘Rejoice.’”[1]
The paraments and vestments are rose to reflect this joyous character. The
penitential nature of Advent is lightened for a day as we enter the final days
of Advent. The Old Testament Lesson speaks of comfort and pardon, the glory of
the Lord and His enduring word.[2]
In the Gradual, we cry out to our Shepherd to come and lead us as a flock; to
stir up His might and come to save us, enthroned upon the cherubim.[3]
The seeming contradiction arises in the Gospel lesson. John
the Baptist is in prison. He undoubtedly knows that he will soon be executed. In
preparation for his own death, and likely in a moment of doubt concerning the
Christ, John sends two of his disciples to Jesus. They are to ask on John’s
behalf, “Are you the Coming One, or do we look for another?”[4]
Our Lord’s oblique response is to tell John the things the
disciples see and hear, namely His miracles and teachings, and that he who is
not offended by Jesus is blessed. As the disciples of John depart, Jesus
questions the surrounding crowd concerning who John is and what he came to do.
He says John is more than a prophet, he is the messenger of whom Malachi
foretold, who would prepare the way of the Messiah.[5]
I say the Gospel reading seems to contradict today’s
liturgical character because the Gospel text seems to focus on doubt. John is
about to die and wants confirmation that Jesus is the Christ, the One Who is to
Come, and that this Christ would save him from his sins. Then, rather than
expounding on the glory of salvation, the mercy of God, or the compassion of
the Father, Jesus reprimands the crowds for their impious curiosity in seeking
John. Joy is not mentioned in the Gospel and the tone speaks more of rebuke for
lack of vigilance.
And yet, such a contradiction only exists if you do not slow
down and read the Gospel of St. Matthew with a careful eye. Twice in the text,
Jesus makes reference to the Scriptures being fulfilled in His life. First, He
speaks of His deeds, foretold by Isaiah. “The blind see and the lame walk; the
lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have
the gospel preached to them;”[6]
and then He confirms the office of John as the messenger prophesied by Malachi.[7]
Our Lord is not trying to give the disciples of John an
encoded message confirming that He is the Messiah. In the first place, He is
pointing John, and his disciples, to the Old Testament, to the Scriptures, to
the Word of God. He is saying, “Why ask Me if I am the Messiah? You have Moses
and the Prophets. They tell you what to look for. Trust your eyes and ears that
what you have heard and seen in Me is the fulfillment of them.”
In the second place, Jesus is directing John and his
disciples to the concrete actions of the Messiah. It is all well and good to
hear that a prophet has arisen in Galilee, and He is healing people. But the
minds of men are strong. Our self-delusions are mighty. “Oh, such works are
easy to fake. I heard He likes to eat with unwashed hands and gave wine to a
bunch of drunk people at a wedding. Some Messiah…”
The ferocity of our sin will find any excuse to disbelieve
the Word of God. Does your conscience tell you that you are a sinner and God
couldn’t possibly love you for what you have done? Look first to the Scriptures
and ask, “Did Jesus die for the sins of the world? Are you a part of the
world?” The answer to both questions is undeniably, “yes.”
If you stop here, Satan will rejoice. He will whisper in
your ear, “Are you sure? Did God really say that? And if Jesus did die for your
sins, there are still people in hell. What makes you think you won’t join them?
You’ve thought and done some pretty nasty stuff.”
Knowing the guile of our evil foe, God binds His Word and
His salvation to physical means, so that we would have no excuse to disbelieve.
These are the sacraments. What makes you think you won’t join the souls in
hell? You are baptized! You are baptized and you receive the Body and Blood of
Jesus. You desire the Body and Blood of Jesus. Your ears hear the words of
Jesus from my lips, “Your sins are forgiven.” Do you know this to be true? Then
you have nothing to fear concerning your salvation.
Even in the rebuke of the crowds, Jesus gives us a reason to
rejoice. He says that John was more than a prophet, he was a messenger. While
we shouldn’t apply this distinction too broadly, our Lord is here making a
distinction between a prophet who speaks the Word of the Lord, and a messenger who
also speaks the Word of the Lord but does so immediately before His coming. A
messenger, or angel, is one who goes before the Lord to prepare the way.[8]
St. John is a herald. He is the watchman on the gate who cries out, “Awake,
Jerusalem, arise!”
Now, St. John was clearly the messenger sent to prepare the
hearts of man for the first coming of the Messiah in the flesh. He was to
prepare their hearts by confronting them with their sin. He did this, not with
the final purpose of frightening them into inaction or damnation. He did this
to reveal their sins and their need for the Messiah. He did this so that they
would be prepared to be forgiven. This is the office of St. John the Baptist.
After Christ began His ministry, after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan and
anointed with the Holy Spirit, it was necessary for St. John to decrease that
Jesus would increase.[9]
How is this achieved? It is true that you need to be shown
your sin. You need to constantly be shown the failure of your flesh and the
weakness of your heart. Yet these things are so that you would be prepared to
receive the forgiveness of sins. As such, your pastor is more a messenger than
a prophet. He goes before to announce the coming of the King. So long as you
are sincere in your faith, desire to be rid of your sins and to do better
according to the Word of God, the Office of the Holy Ministry is never given to
hold you under the water a little while longer, forcing you to suffer.
No. The Office of the Holy Ministry is to bring you the joy
of the Holy Gospel. We hear the Word of God read and pastors preach before we
receive the Sacrament because it is necessary that the messenger be sent before
the coming of the King. It is necessary so that you would be prepared to
receive your King. Having heard the Word of God, having been confronted by your
sins and your need for a Savior, it is with most joyful hearts that we now cry
out, “Stir up your might and come to save us.”[10]
“Rejoice in the Lord always; [for] the Lord is at hand!”[11]
In + Jesus’
name. Amen.
[1]
Philippians 4:4-5.
[2]
Isaiah 40:1-8.
[3]
Psalm 80:1-2.
[4]
St. Matthew 11:2-3.
[5]
St. Matthew 11:4-10.
[6]
St. Matthew 11:5; cf. Isaiah 26:19; 29:18; 35:5; 42:7, 18; 61:1.
[7]
Malachi 3:1.
[8]
St. Luke 1:76-79. The conclusion of the Benedictus.
[9]
St. John 3:30.
[10]
Psalm 80:2b.
[11]
Philippians 4:4, 5.
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