I couldn't say it better myself than St. Paul on this Gaudete Sunday, as he proclaims in his letter to the Philippians that the people of God should rejoice always, repeating it again for emphasis.
God is near, and like the prophet Zephaniah proclaims, He rejoices over us.
This is a reality that is greater than any of our circumstances. (I think about how we heard these readings proclaimed 6 years ago on Sunday, December 16, 2012, after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.) No matter what we face, God is present, entering into our hearts to work something marvelous, and He is our joy.
So we give ourselves over to Him, which is what St. John the Baptist proclaims when various people come to ask Him what they should do. He calls them to change their lives around, because God is near, and is coming into our lives. So we change our lives to be open to the transformation that comes when God arrives.
I furthermore rejoice that I mark 5 years since I started this blog, joyfully reflecting on God's revelations in the words proclaimed on Sundays and Holy Days.
No comments:
Post a Comment