“Oh hey, Father’s wearing pink.”
Look around! Remember why we’re doing this!
In the Gospel this Sunday, John the Baptist sends some of his disciples to Jesus to ask Him: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus responds by listing off much of what the prophets of old had foretold of the Messiah: “The blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.” In short, Jesus tells John: “Look around you. Notice the objective events. What do you see? What do these things tell you?” Anyone who knows the prophets would recognize these things immediately.
On the 3rd Sunday of Advent, we see the color rose used in the liturgy. Traditionally, we get the color rose by mixing a little bit of white into the usual purple we use during the penitential seasons (we’ll see it again on the 4th Sunday of Lent). This mixture is meant to be a visual reminder of hope – the joy of Christmas mingling with the repentant spirit of Advent. The Church uses this color to remind us to keep pushing, to finish strong, and to remember why we’re doing this Advent thing at all: joy!
How has Advent been going so far? How have you been preparing your heart for the graces of the approaching Christmas season? Do you feel ready to welcome Jesus at the Nativity? Perhaps this season hasn’t felt like much yet; maybe it hasn’t really felt any different. That’s all right. Maybe the signs have been more subtle. Look around you. What’s going on in your life of faith right now? How has God been encountering you, loving you, calling you? What are those signs in your life that God has been using to say, “I’m right here!”
As we continue forward through the final stretch of Advent, I invite you to renew your resolutions to prepare diligently for Christmas. See the rose vestments and the rose candle on our Advent wreath and remember why we’re doing this. God is always working in our lives. Don’t forget to notice the signs of how much He loves you and desires to transform you into the saint you’re meant to be.
-Br. Andrew
