Third Sunday of Advent B
Today in our second reading, from the letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians, we read: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks.” They say that this letter is the earliest New Testament text we have. These words are placed at the very end of the letter, as final words of encouragement. If Saint Paul tends to go over the top, here he pushes us further. For him the coming of Jesus changed everything.
This is a summary of our spiritual life: rejoice, pray and give thanks. The three of them go together. “Always” is the adverb that connects them, that unites them. If this constancy is not maintained, all three go up like smoke, like fireworks. It is a triangle, with three sides complementing each other; two alone won’t work. They are in tension, in a difficult balance, ready to blow up. If one side is defective, not maintained, the three of them break up into pieces. When we rejoice, we pray, and we give thanks.
Rejoice always. It is easy to smile when life goes our way, but how can we be happy in front of contradictions, obstacles, accidents, and problems? Because God is in control. A French convert used to say: Christians, your only obligation is to be happy. If we are not happy, there is something wrong with our faith. There is nothing wrong with our Church. We are the problem. We need to stop blaming others and look at the blessings God has bestowed on us, at the beautiful things that surround us. A sad saint is a contradiction, like a square circle, an old baby, a dwarf giant; it cannot exist.
Pray without ceasing. How can we do that? It doesn’t mean to be the whole day in a church, kneeling down, murmuring prayers. Not even the monks can do it. It is like the beating of the heart, like breathing. We are not aware of it, but it is happening. It becomes unconscious, part of our lives, a second nature. It is a constant presence of God, an awareness that God is always with us. It is a gift from God if we try our best. In the Eastern tradition, you can find the Jesus prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. It is said breathing in and breathing out. If we say it many times, the prayer works his way into our being, determining every aspect of our lives. Then we can access that deep place of our soul, where God is hidden, and live with him. Jesus told us the parable of the unjust judge, to remind us that we “ought always to pray and not lose heart.” It doesn’t mean that God is an evil judge, but that we need to follow the example of the persistent widow, who prayed day and night. We pray till we reach our heavenly home.
In all circumstances give thanks. Everything we have comes from God. What is ours is our will and our sins. Everything else is a blessing, if we look at things through God’s eyes. God can even bring good out of evil. He uses the actions of the devil for his own plans. It must be frustrating for the evil one to see God using him for a good purpose. As Saint Paul tells the Romans “everything works for the best for those who love him.”
josephpich@gmail.com
Third Sunday of Advent B
Today in our second reading, from the letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians, we read: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks.” They say that this letter is the earliest New Testament text we have. These words are placed at the very end of the letter, as final words of encouragement. If Saint Paul tends to go over the top, here he pushes us further. For him the coming of Jesus changed everything.
This is a summary of our spiritual life: rejoice, pray and give thanks. The three of them go together. “Always” is the adverb that connects them, that unites them. If this constancy is not maintained, all three go up like smoke, like fireworks. It is a triangle, with three sides complementing each other; two alone won’t work. They are in tension, in a difficult balance, ready to blow up. If one side is defective, not maintained, the three of them break up into pieces. When we rejoice, we pray, and we give thanks.
Rejoice always. It is easy to smile when life goes our way, but how can we be happy in front of contradictions, obstacles, accidents, and problems? Because God is in control. A French convert used to say: Christians, your only obligation is to be happy. If we are not happy, there is something wrong with our faith. There is nothing wrong with our Church. We are the problem. We need to stop blaming others and look at the blessings God has bestowed on us, at the beautiful things that surround us. A sad saint is a contradiction, like a square circle, an old baby, a dwarf giant; it cannot exist.
Pray without ceasing. How can we do that? It doesn’t mean to be the whole day in a church, kneeling down, murmuring prayers. Not even the monks can do it. It is like the beating of the heart, like breathing. We are not aware of it, but it is happening. It becomes unconscious, part of our lives, a second nature. It is a constant presence of God, an awareness that God is always with us. It is a gift from God if we try our best. In the Eastern tradition, you can find the Jesus prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. It is said breathing in and breathing out. If we say it many times, the prayer works his way into our being, determining every aspect of our lives. Then we can access that deep place of our soul, where God is hidden, and live with him. Jesus told us the parable of the unjust judge, to remind us that we “ought always to pray and not lose heart.” It doesn’t mean that God is an evil judge, but that we need to follow the example of the persistent widow, who prayed day and night. We pray till we reach our heavenly home.
In all circumstances give thanks. Everything we have comes from God. What is ours is our will and our sins. Everything else is a blessing, if we look at things through God’s eyes. God can even bring good out of evil. He uses the actions of the devil for his own plans. It must be frustrating for the evil one to see God using him for a good purpose. As Saint Paul tells the Romans “everything works for the best for those who love him.”
josephpich@gmail.com