The Sunday Mass readings for the Third Sunday of Advent are selected from the pre-1955 Missal of St. Pius X. Followed by the sermon of Monsignor Thomas Sebastian, Oratory Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi, Society of Christ the King.
EPISTLE: Philippians 4:4 -6
BRETHREN: Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
GOSPEL: St. John 1:19 – 28
AT THAT TIME: the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to John, to ask him: Who art thou? And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ. And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No. They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? He said: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias. And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost thou baptise, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? John answered them, saying: I baptise with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, Whom you know not. The same is He that shall come after me, Who is preferred before me: the latchet of Whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptising.
Sermon of Monsignor Sebastian:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God.
– Philippians 4:4 – 6
THIS morning we continue with our Adventide joy; you see some flowers on the Holy Altar, only
allowed for this Sunday in Advent, and you notice that my vestments are Rose in colour, the
traditional colour for expressing joy. The Apostle reminds the church in Philippi, Greece and us, that
we must never lose our joy. We must let nothing nor anyone impede our joyful trust in God and His
promises. Again I direct you to the Advent Wreath, see how the Light of Christ is growing brighter? I
hope and pray that your faith, trust and grace is also growing exponentially!
Also, as we continue to learn more about our Holy Faith this Adventide we shall this morning
focus on S. John the Baptist. In the Eastern part of the Church he is called the Precursor as he heralds
the coming of the Messias Jesus Christ, and the Sacred Scriptures and Our Lord Himself refer to him as an angel , which means a messenger (cf. S. Matthew 11:10). It is the Baptist who tells his followers, and us, Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him Who taketh away the sin of the world (S. John 1:29). This is how a saint acts, he does not take to himself the glory that belongs to God, but rather, points back to God, giving Him the Glory, Non nobis, Domine, non nobis; sed nomini Tuo da gloriam (Psalm 113:9). The Baptist later explained his joy at Christ’s coming and His glory, and reminded his own followers, He must increase, and I must decrease (S. John 3:30). May we follow the Baptist in his desire to disappear so that only Jesus the Lord may be seen. With the Baptist and the Apostle I say cupio in Christo dissolvi (cf. Philippians 1:23).
Alas, reverence for the Baptist has waned in recent times, which again demonstrates how today’s
man is wicked and knows not his God nor the true Faith. When we read the holy litanies and other
prayers that invoke the saints the Baptist always immediately follows our Blessed Lady, for example
in the Confiteor, and of course the Baptist heads the martyrs of the Canon of the Mass after the
Consecration. The Baptist was justified, that is, restored to full grace from Original Sin, while still in
his mother’s womb: And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy (S. Luke 1:39 – 44). By his pious life of self-sacrifice and penance the Baptist pleased God and became a sublime instrument of grace, preparing the way for Our Lord and King Jesus Christ.
In our Gospel this morning the High Priests and Elders send their investigators to inquire whom
the Baptist is, or, more correctly, who he is not: Who art thou? And he confessed, and did not deny… I am not the Christ. And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the Prophet? And he answered: No. They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? He said: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias. And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost thou baptise, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? John answered them, saying: I baptise with water; but there hath stood One in the midst of you, Whom you know not. The same is He that shall come after me, Who is preferred before me: the latchet of Whose shoe I am not worthy to loose (S. John 1:19 – 27). He denies he is the Christ and even tells them he is not worthy to untie His shoe laces. Here is the glorious herald of Christ the King, and what happens to him? Imprisoned and beheaded on account of a corrupt and adulterous king, his concubine and her lascivious harlot daughter. The latter’s infamous attempt to seduce the Baptist and to dance naked for her the rapacious Herod is a chronicle of depravity and immorality. But the Baptist, because he lived in the grace of God, withstood all attempts to take him from that grace and to this day is raised to the highest parts of the heavenly court. His trust in God was his ultimate strength and salvation.
This trust in God is echoed by S. Paul, who reminds us we should not be nervous or anxious about our lives. All too often people worry about things that are completely out of their control. What the Apostle is trying to make us understand is that we must stop our worrying and our whining; we must not lack courage. The Apostle tells us that in our supplication, that is, our wants and needs which
we lay at the feet of God, we are to ask divine assistance in all these things by having a spirit of
thanksgiving. God desires that we ask Him to help us in ALL things. He teaches us to make all our
petitions known to God (cf. Philippians 4:6).
We are to ask all things to and through God, with courage and sublime hope. The great prophet
Isaias tells us in the Communion Verse of today’s Holy Mass to take courage and fear not (Isaias 35:4). Further he teaches us that we do so, for behold, God will come and He will save us (ibid.).
We must, all of us dearest in Christ the King, stop our worrying about things that are out of our
control. We must, as they say, let go and let God. In the Gospel we hear that the Pharisees are
assiduously inquiring of the Baptist: they want to know who he is, and who sent him, or rather, who
has given him the authority to Baptise. They are anxious and disturbed. Their anxiety and worry is
indicative of a lack of trust in God. They not only do not trust God, they do not want to trust Him; for
they desire their ways, their own ideas. They, like all sinners, trust more in themselves then they do in
God and His sweet providence.
Like all people I too can become anxious…but then in prayer, always in prayer, the Lord the Holy Ghost reminds me that my fear and worry will not add one cubit to my stature, as Our Lord says in S. Matthew’s Gospel (S. Matthew 6:27). Fear and worry are not of God. Holy Faith and Holy Hope are. They are a virtues, and virtue leads us to grace, and grace leads us to heaven. When you feel anxious…stop…breathe…and thank God for what you do have: God’s love and grace. Praise Him for His tremendous generosity and favour – for without Him we would have nothing. With Him we need nothing, for as Our Lord told the Apostle: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9)!
One of the greatest means of actualising that vivifying grace is by remembering that Holy Advent, the season of awaiting the Lord, is also a penitential season. Because of our preparations for
His coming we often forget this important fact. This week we have the Ember Days of Advent when the Church commands us to not only fast and abstain, but to pray! Never forget this powerful trinity of grace: fasting, abstaining and praying; how well they complement the three Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. S. Pope Leo the Great reminds us in his sermon from the Office of Matins for today: The month of December hath come round again, and with it this devout custom of the Church. The fruits of the year, which is drawing to a close, are now all gathered in, and we most meetly offer our abstinence to God as a sacrifice of thanksgiving. And what can be more useful than fasting, that exercise by which we draw nigh to God, make a stand against the devil, and overcome the softer enticements of sin? Fasting hath ever been the bread of strength. From abstinence proceed pure thoughts, reasonable desires, and healthy counsels. By voluntary mortifications the flesh dieth to lust, and the soul is renewed in might. But since fasting is not the only mean whereby we get health for our souls, let us add to our fasting works of mercy. Let us spend in good deeds what we take from indulgence. Let our fast become the banquet of the poor.
Such holy wisdom from this Most Holy Father, who not only encourages our pious adherence to this treasured practice of the Holy Church, but also extols the virtue and joy that we shall receive from it; and how the poor may benefit from our gifts and sacrifices! I am reminded of the recommendation of Our Most sweet and Holy Saviour Who teaches us that when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father Who is in secret: and thy Father Who seeth in secret, will repay thee (S. Matthew 6:16 – 18). We bear all with joy so that what we do will please God, comfort our own soul and lends benefit to mankind.
Let us, not only today but every day, call to mind the words of the Apostle: Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice…Be nothing solicitous; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God (Philippians 4:4 – 6)!
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. We love you. Save souls.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. Amen.
The Cup of Joe 