13 December 2020
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn.
Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11, NRSV
On this third Sunday in Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, the Church has a small break in an otherwise penitential season to rejoice in the nearness of the Lord’s coming. The people of Judah living at the time of this prophecy had little to rejoice in. They had recently returned from a very tough and faith challenging period of exile in Babylon. Their return to Jerusalem was also difficult with much opposition to overcome. The words of the prophet speak directly to their condition; they are oppressed, broken-hearted, some were imprisoned, many mourned the death of loved ones. How they must have longed for such words of hope and reassurance. For us, we know that Jesus was the person who brought about the fulfilment of these words when, as described in Luke’s gospel, he opened the scroll of the prophet and proclaimed them. Jesus made it his mission to make these words become reality; a mission that now belongs to his followers.
- How might these words have affected the people of Judah?
- Do the words of Isaiah still hold promise for people today?
At this time of preparation for Christmas, make some time to rejoice in all the good things that life has given you and to pray for those who feel joyless.
