11 December 2022 - Third Sunday of Advent

Theme

This week’s readings share stories of people being commended for their work and life. The Psalmist declares that those who seek God as their helper are blessed. James calls us to follow the prophet’s patience in suffering as our example. In Matthew, Jesus commends John, saying that he is the greatest person who has ever lived. Finally, in Luke, Mary sings a song of praise to the Lord for choosing her to mother Jesus.

Scripture Readings

  • Isaiah 35:1-10 - Isaiah proves a beautiful vision of a future world without ruin and fully reconciled to God. This vision is meant to give hope and strength to those who are weak. In this new world, there will be a road that only the righteous will be able to traverse.
  • Psalm 146:5-10 - Those who claim God as their helper are joyful. The Psalmist declares that God brings justice and healing to the poorest and most vulnerable people.
  • James 5:7-10 - James calls the reader to be patient like farmers waiting for rain as they wait for the Lord’s return. He encourages them not to grumble, lest they be judged; and to look at the prophets as an example of how to be patient in suffering.
  • Matthew 11:2-11 - John the Bapist, who is in prison, sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the promised Messiah. Jesus sends them back to tell of the miracles they have seen. Jesus then commends John the Baptist to the crowds around him, claiming that he is a prophet and the one who was prophesied to prepare the way of the Messiah. Jesus declares that John is the greatest person who has ever lived, but even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than him.
  • Luke 1:47-55 - After meeting with Elizabeth and hearing that she has been blessed above all women, Mary sings a song of praise to the Lord.

Background

The song that Mary sings to the Lord in Luke is known as The Magnificat or The Song of Mary. It is a declaration that God is fulfilling God’s promises in the birth of Jesus. This passage of Scripture is the origin of one of the oldest hymns in Christianity and is still sung in many churches throughout the world today.

Personal Application

Most people appreciate being honoured and commended by others and I would think that all Christians would love to be commended by God. This week’s readings give us an insight into what type of people are commended by God. The Psalmist declares that those who humble themselves and rest in God as their helper will be blessed, along with the poor and vulnerable. James commends the prophets who were patient in their suffering. Jesus commends John the Baptist, a wild unkempt man who diverted the attention that he was receiving to the Messiah. Jesus then declares that the lowest in the Kingdom of Heaven will be greater than John. In Luke, Mary thanks God for choosing her to give birth to the Messiah. I cannot think of a greater commendation than being given that sacred task.

From this list, we can determine that those who are commended by God seem to share similar characteristics: humility, vulnerability and patience. As we prepare for Christmas during this Advent season, we remember that even Jesus arrived in this world in a small, unimportant town, surrounded by smelly animals and born in a stable.

How would you honestly describe your current state of being in the world? Are you constantly fighting to climb the ladders and become more important in the eyes of others? How can we become more humble and live our lives in a way that is commendable by God?

Communal Application

Sometimes I wonder if our church systems are set up to be commended by people and the world rather than God. We try to build the best productions at our church services, play the best music in worship, and preach the best sermons so that people will commend us and be attracted to join our communities. Even within our chuch circles, people often strive to achieve important positions and we are often at fault of elevating certain people to positions of power and fame at the expense of others.

I understand the need to accommodate people in our services and to handle our calling professionally, but this week’s readings have made me consider the question: what would a church full of humble, lowly people look like? I cannot help but think it would probably look a lot different to many of the churches that we see advertised on TV and social media today. Today’s capitalist, consumerist culture encourages churches to be just as cutthroat and selfish as some of the biggest and greediest corporations in the world today.

As churches and communities, are we going to strive to be commended by people or by God? It might be difficult to presume what type of church would be commended by God, but I think that this week’s readings, and particularly Mary’s Magnificat, gives us a good idea.

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