Podcast: 3rd Sunday of Advent, Year A

Hi and welcome to the Modern Psalmist Podcast. I’m Rebecca De La Torre.

This weekend we are celebrating the 3rd Sunday of Advent, year A. Our readings center around the prophesies of the coming of the Messiah and in John the Baptist preparing the way of the Lord.

O come, Emmanuel.

The entrance antiphon sets the tone of apprehensive waiting as we rejoice in the coming of the Lord. Taken from Philippians chapter 4, verses 4 and 5, we read:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.
Indeed, the Lord is near.”

Many of the readings today are from the prophet Isaiah. The first reading from chapter 35 describes the coming of the Lord and all the miracles and beauty his coming will bring. In verse 4 Isaiah tell us:

“Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.”

And in the Psalm for today from chapter 146, we the people cry out to the Lord to come quickly and save us from our oppressors. The refrain itself comes from Isaiah chapter 35, and states:

“Lord, come and save us.”

Like the first reading for today, which you will notice is also from Isaiah chapter 35 like the psalm refrain, the verses in the psalm proclaim the Lord’s faithfulness to those who put their trust in him.

The second reading from James chapter 5 continues to prepare us for the coming of the Lord. In verse 7 we read:

“Be patient, brothers and sisters,
until the coming of the Lord.”

and in verse 9

“Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.”

As we move on to the gospel acclamation, from Isaiah chapter 61 verse 1, we sing the words of the prophet himself, proclaiming the good news:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.”

In the communion antiphon today, we’re back in Isaiah chapter 35, verse 4:

“Say to the faint of heart: Be strong and do not fear.
Behold, our God will come, and he will save us.”

Sometimes in the liturgy the communion antiphon will repeat a verse from one of the readings of the day, but that doesn’t happen often. And usually the antiphon verses are from one of the psalms. But for today, even the verses in the communion antiphon are from Isaiah chapter 35. I believe that if the church has chosen to repeat this message at different parts of the liturgy, it’s all the more important that we meditate on these words and pray for God to open our minds to the way he intends for these scriptures to impact our own lives.

In the gospel for today from Matthew chapter 11, Jesus talks to his disciples about John the Baptist. Actually, Jesus quotes Malachi chapter 3, in reference to John, saying:

“This is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.”

And Jesus continues to praise John the Baptist by saying in Matthew chapter 11, verse 11:

“Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Can you imagine that? The *least* in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist? John the Baptist who had the spirit of Elijah – the prophet who was carried into heaven by a chariot of fire. When the archangel Gabriel announced John’s conception to his father Zachariah in Luke chapter 1 verse 17, Gabriel says specifically of John that:

“He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah”

And Jesus himself says in Matthew chapter 17, verse 12:

“I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him”

But after Jesus said this, verse 13 tells us that the disciples realized that Jesus was talking about John the Baptist.

Yet, the *least* in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist. That in itself is something to ponder.

Considering the perpetually prophetic scriptures in todays liturgy, along with the multiple references to John the Baptist, I find the Benedictus a fitting song to feature. Also known as the Canticle of Zachariah, the song praises God, prophesies the coming of the Messiah, and announces John the Baptist’s role in preparing the way for the Lord.

Here is my composition of the Benedictus.

That was “Benedictus: The Canticle of Zachariah” for the 3rd Sunday of Advent, year A. Links to the recordings and sheet music can be found on TheModernPsalmist.com.

We have one more Sunday left in our Advent series this season. Also, tune into our YouTube channel on the Tuesday evenings of Advent for a virtual bilingual Vespers that can enhance your prayer of the divine offices.

God bless you.