Advent 3rd Sunday
Is 35:1-6a, 10; Jas 5:7-10; Mat 11:2-11
Hope Kept Alive Through Our Deeds”
Many of us live with fear and worry about what might happen in the future. We ask ourselves:
Will I pass the exam? Will I get the job I want? What’s happening to me? Do I have an illness that can’t be cured? Is it even worth continuing the way I’m going? So often, our fears come from the unknown. But it is hope that gives us the strength to keep going — to persevere. Today’s readings bring us three timeless messages of hope, spoken to people waiting for the coming of the Messiah. They remind us that through our faithful deeds, we can keep hope alive — and stay confident that good things will come.
Signified Hope
During the Babylonian exile, the people of Judah were filled with anxiety and despair. They wondered… Has God abandoned us? Will we ever return home? Then the prophet Isaiah stood up and proclaimed words of courage: “Here is your God… He will come to save you!” He gave them a vision of hope — a promise that God would transform their suffering into joy.
A little girl named Miriam was walking with her father across a narrow bridge over a river.
Her father, worried for her safety, said, “Sweetheart, hold my hand so you don’t fall.” But Miriam replied, “No, Daddy! You hold my hand.” Puzzled, he asked, “What’s the difference?”
She smiled and said, “There’s a big difference! If I hold your hand and something happens, I might let go. But if you hold my hand, I know you’ll never let go of me.” Like Miriam, the people of Israel — and all of us — can rest secure in God’s hands. Even when we are afraid, even when life seems uncertain, God never lets go. His hands are always open — strong enough to hold us, gentle enough to guide us.
Actions Speak Louder
Centuries later, the people were still waiting for the Messiah. Many prophets — Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others — had spoken about him, but he had not yet appeared. Even John the Baptist, imprisoned and uncertain, sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus could have replied, “Yes, I am.” But instead, he pointed to his deeds: “Go and tell John what you hear and see — the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them.” In other words — “My actions reveal who I am.”
Jesus didn’t need to convince them with words. His life itself was the proof. Every healing, every act of mercy, every moment of compassion shouted the truth: The Messiah is here.And the same is true for us. It is through our actions — our love, our service, our forgiveness — that people recognize Christ alive in us.
Saint Teresa of Calcutta lived this beautifully. Her faith wasn’t in words — it was in deeds. Everything she did — every act of care for the dying, every smile for the poor — was done purely out of love. The journalist Malcolm Muggeridge once said of her: “I can’t tell you how much I owe Mother Teresa. She showed me Christianity in action. She showed me love in action. She showed me how the love of one person can start a tidal wave that can spread across the world.” Her life was her testimony. Her deeds were her sermon. She let the light of Christ speak through her hands.
Patience with Deeds
In our second reading, Saint James encourages early Christians who were growing weary as they waited for the Lord’s return. He says, “Be patient, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains.” James reminds us that patience is not laziness. It is active faith. Like a farmer, we plant the seeds — and we trust in God’s timing.
There will be moments of frustration, moments of fear. We may even face persecution or misunderstanding. But still, we must persevere. And as James says, “Do not grumble against one another.” The Christian heart must be large — large enough to love, to forgive, to keep doing good even when it’s hard. Every small act of kindness counts. Every gesture of compassion, every helping hand, every effort to bring peace — all of these make God’s presence more visible in the world. Great engines turn on small bearings… and great miracles often begin with small acts of love. Our deeds reveal who we are. They keep our hope alive. And that hope makes us truly joyful — the reason this Sunday is called Gaudete Sunday — the Sunday of rejoicing.
Living a Hope That Shines
We cannot prove that Jesus is the Messiah simply by our religious discussions or beautiful decorations. Our Christmas lights and ornaments are lovely — but by themselves, they cannot convince a doubting world that Christ has truly come. What convinces the world… is the witness of our lives. It is our kindness, our mercy, our forgiveness, our love in action —
that show that Christ is already among us. If our Christmas is to be truly Christ-filled, then our hearts and actions must be Messianic deeds that bring light to darkness, hope to despair, and warmth to the coldness of this world. Then indeed, it will be a real Christmas — a celebration where Christ is born again, not only in Bethlehem, but in our hearts and our homes.
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