The American people have been led to believe that they are divided into Republicans (“red”) or Democrats (“blue”). But on this Gaudete Sunday, it might be better to see ourselves as a blend of red and blue. If you mix the primary colors of red and blue, you get shades of purple. And if you add some white to the red and blue, you will get lavender or rose, like the rose-colored vestments worn by the priest on Gaudete Sunday.
The English translation for “Gaudete” is “to rejoice.”
Maybe this third week of our Advent pilgrimage should represent how we as a nation (and Catholic Christians), while often divided, need of healing ... which leads to rejoicing.
In our world, where social media allows anyone to broadcast or post their every thought and feeling, emotion-laden reactions are now the norm and they are divisive and not always a reason for rejoicing. Just this morning I was reading another article addressing the issue of how technology leads to depression among teenagers. I’m afraid it leads to depression among adults, too.
What we see in the nightly news and daily newspapers is often presented as red or blue. During this Advent/Christmas season, we can begin to see through rose- tinted glasses, not just red or blue. This is the way the Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings view us.
Healing the anger that divides us takes time, understanding and forgiveness. What better time of the year than this Advent and Christmas Season to begin the healing! This is the time for new birth expressed in love, joy and hope.
We are invited to prepare the way of the Lord by repentance, which is the first component of John the Baptist’s message. John’s second component is sharing. I hope you heard this in today’s gospel. When the people asked John the Baptist, “What must I do?” his response was very clear, “You should share what you have.”
John the Baptist states unmistakably, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none.” It was a common cultural belief in the days of John the Baptist that if someone had more than one of something, he or she was considered greedy.
I would have been considered extremely greedy. I have more than two coats. I have more than two pairs of shoes. How about you? How good are we about sharing?
When the tax collectors asked the same question, “What must I do?” John the Baptist told them to stop cheating people, to be honest, and not use their position to enrich themselves.
When the soldiers wanted to know what they were to do, John the Baptist told them to stop harassing and intimidating others. In short, to stop abusing your power.
John answered their questions by addressing the inequities and injustices of society. Food and clothing are to be shared. Taxes are not to be based on the greed of the powerful. The military must stop victimizing, threatening and intimidating.
John’s advice is practical. He didn’t indulge in a cliché like “Pray about it.” John wanted people to live out their faith everyday by repenting and sharing. What are you to do?
Many of us are familiar with a traditional Christmas story about sharing, “The Gift of the Magi,” by O. Henry.
The story is about a desperately poor young couple living in New York City at the turn of the century. Neither of them had money to buy a Christmas gift for the other. So, they secretly went out and sold something of value they owned.
Jim sold his prized pocket watch to buy Della ornamental combs for her long hair. Della cut her beautiful long hair and sold it to purchase a gold chain for Jim’s pocket watch.
On Christmas Day, they exchanged gifts and realized they were now left with gifts that neither one could use.
But they both realized how far they were willing to go to show their shared spirit of love for each other.
What about you and me? We need to ask the same question, “What must I do?”
We are asked to repent and to share by making simple efforts to resolve the inequities and injustices of our society.
Here is a practical example from my own life:
In front of me in the checkout line were two small children, a boy about ten years old and a younger girl, obviously his sister, around five years old. The boy wore an old ragged coat that was way too large for him and jeans that he had clearly outgrown, which only highlighted his tattered sneakers. The girl’s clothes resembled her brother’s but in reverse. Her coat was way too small and her jeans too long, but her sneakers looked as threadbare as his.
He clutched several wrinkled dollars in his callused hands; calluses probably earned from shoveling snow. In her hands she carried a pair of woman’s pajamas. She was humming to the Christmas music in the store’s sound system, a little off-key but happy.
She carefully placed the pajamas on the counter. The clerk rang them up. “That will be $16.09,” the clerk said. The boy quickly searched his pockets and laid his crumpled dollars and change on the counter totaling, $13.12.
“We will have to come back tomorrow,” he said bravely to the clerk. The little girl broke into a soft sob. “But Jesus would love these pajamas,” she cried.
Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. After all, it was Christmas and I remembered how I had slighted another person in my past and did not want to be haunted by denying these children the chance to buy a gift “that Jesus would love.”
Suddenly a pair of arms came around me, and a small voice said, “Thank you, sir.” It totally startled me. I asked, her, “What did you mean when you said Jesus would love these pajamas?”
She responded, “Our mommy is very sick and is going to heaven. Daddy said she might even go before Christmas to be with Jesus. My brother and I thought she should have some beautiful pajamas in heaven.”
Silently I thanked God and smiled as I thought of my Ma and Dad walking around heaven in pajamas. I embraced the children, asked them their names and thanked them for loving their mother and father. I assured them that the angels would take care of their mom just as they take care of my parents.
The children ran into their father’s supportive arms as they left the store.
Tears dampened my eyes, as I found myself silently praying to the Lord for the children and their father and mother. I asked the Lord to surround them with the courage they would need this Advent and Christmas season.
I was overwhelmed with a sense of sadness, thinking I could give three bucks for the pajamas, but I could not give them what they needed most: their mother.
However, I was also filled with joyfulness. I rejoiced, believing in what Paul wrote to the Philippians as we heard in our second reading today:
The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Advent and Christmas speak to us of wonder, innocence, joy, love and forgiveness. This is the challenge of the Advent and Christmas message, to repent and to share
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