THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT A
JOY IN WAITING
MT. 11- 2-11
MESSAGE
In our modern context, waiting can feel like an ordeal. You have made plans, set goals, and nurtured dreams you long to fulfill. Yet before any of these unfold, it is as if a sign appears everywhere saying “Wait!”
We wait for a response to our proposal. We wait for our visa to be approved. We wait for the tiniest signature so a document can take effect. And yes, we even wait outside the dental clinic for our turn. It remains a mystery that, despite online transactions and one click solutions, the things that truly matter still require waiting.
Waiting becomes painful when urgency is paired with a lack of trust. This happens when we want immediate results without going through the process, or when we long to arrive without enduring the journey. In the second reading, St. James invites us to wait like an educated and wise farmer, with calmness, assurance, and an inner joy that springs from trust.
In the Gospel, the Lord Jesus teaches John the Baptist to wait for the full revelation of the Savior. He urges him to observe quietly the movements of God, to surrender to the divine timing, and to attune his heart to the will of the One whose plan is always for our good. John must learn to wait patiently and joyfully, knowing that a higher wisdom and greater love are preparing the way to salvation, freedom, and peace.
REFLECT
The most precious things in life always require waiting. Let your waiting shape you into someone kinder, humbler, more peaceful, and more trusting in the hands of God. Ask the Lord for the joy that accompanies those who wait with confidence in the God who provides, who puts all things in order, and whose heart is always open to receive us.
