December 13: Preparing to Celebrate Sunday’s Mass / Preparándonos para Celebrar la Misa Dominical

St. Matthew’s Gospel is affectionately known as the “Gospel of the Beatitudes.” Each of the initial Beatitudes which He recounts from Jesus’ teaching (see chapter 5) begins with “Blessed are they...” In chapter 11 of the same Gospel, Jesus adds another to the list begun in chapter 5: “Blessed are those who take no offense at me.” What is that all about?

It may seem a little difficult at first to imagine taking offense at Jesus. How could anyone take offense at someone who gives sight to the blind, cleanses lepers, and raises up the dead? Yet, people did take offense at Jesus – and people still do. Our challenge is to make sure we do not! 

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The Gospel for the Third Sunday of Advent (Matthew 11, 2-11) shows that St. John the Baptist might have been at the threshold of taking offense at Jesus. But is he alone in being close to taking offense? Haven’t we all been there? Doesn't Jesus challenge us from time to time, beyond our comfort level? 

And here’s the most compelling part of this whole episode: the consequences of even “being close” to taking offense at Jesus are discouragement, disbelief, anger, and hurt. Yet the words of Jesus in 11, 2-11 (read them before you come to Mass) call all of this into question. Reflecting upon His words in this Advent season might plant us more safely among “the Blessed” – and not the discouraged.

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El Domingo “Gaudete,” el Tercer Domingo de Adviento, representa un punto de inflexión en nuestra preparación para la Navidad. Su nombre proviene del latín “Gaudete,” que significa “alégrense.” La jornada se llena de un tono de alegría y esperanza, que se expresa en la antífona de entrada de la Misa: “Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, Gaudete” (Alégrense siempre en el Señor, les repito, estén alegres). La liturgia de este día nos recuerda la inminente llegada del nacimiento de Jesús.

El tiempo santo de Adviento nos está llamando a la paciencia. La Carta de Santiago nos dice: “Tengan paciencia: el Señor está de camino hacia nosotros.” (5, 7-10) Nosotros no somos quiénes para señalarle a Dios lo que tiene que hacer y cuándo tiene que hacerlo. San Juan Bautista tenía que aprender lo mismo en su vida (Mateo 11, 2-11). Nos gustaría que desaparecieran de nuestro espíritu ciertas pruebas personales por las que podemos pasar; nos gustaría que cayeran muros que impiden el avance de la fe en nuestra sociedad, y así sucesivamente. Pero sólo Dios es Señor de la historia – suyo es el tiempo y la eternidad. “Alégrense siempre en Él.”