Third Sunday of Advent : Shine Jesus Shine

First Reading  Isaiah 61:1-2a,10-11
The Lord's salvation will be made known to the poor and the oppressed.

Responsorial Psalm  Luke 1:46-50,53-54
Mary sings praise to God.

Second Reading  1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Paul encourages the Thessalonians to rejoice and pray always.

Gospel Reading 
John 1:6-8,19-28

Today we celebrate Gaudate Sunday, the Sunday of Joy in the midst of the Advent penitential season. We rejoice because the Lord is near to us in the coming celebration of his birth, made present for us now. Today’s Gospel presents John the Baptist once again but this time, as a wonderful companion and friend to Jesus. He made no exaggerated claims of his greatness but claims the truth in clear terms. He could have lied and pretended to be the Christ to gain cheep popularity. But John always spoke the truth and said that he was only the voice but the Word was Jesus, that he was only the messenger but the Message was Jesus, that he was only a shadow but the light was Jesus. In keeping with the life example of John the Baptist the Gospel invites us to let Jesus shine in and through us. Can we allow Jesus to shine in us? That’s the lesson we learn from John the Baptizer.