Today is the Third Sunday of Advent. It is often called Gaudete Sunday, which is the Latin word for rejoice. It comes from the introit of the mass which quotes St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” (Phil. 4, 4)

Joy is the primary mark of a redeemed people. It is the mark of Christianity. Pope Francis, in one of his addresses, says, “Long-faced Christians cannot be evangelizers. Do you think the people would have believed the story of the resurrection if the apostles came out with long faces?” In his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis writes that a Christian cannot be one whose “face communicate like he just came from a funeral.”

However, we sometimes lose our joy when our expectations are not met and when our prayers seem to go unanswered. We become frustrated and begin to have doubts in God. John’s situation in the Gospel this weekend is no different. He is locked up in a dark dungeon with the threat of death hanging over him. His faith is being seriously tested. He needs reassurance and comforting.

He has been preparing for the coming of the Messiah. His idea of the Messiah is that of a stern and uncompromising judge. Jesus is not living up to that image. His radiant friendliness contrasts sharply with the severity of John. John is an ascetic, who lives apart from the people. Jesus, on the other hand, freely mixes with people and eats and drinks with sinners. John prophesies judgment while Jesus prophesies salvation. John is confused and wants to know for sure, so he sends his two disciples to question Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come?” Doubts can be the spring board for knowledge.

Doubts can propel us to ask questions, seek for answers, and find enlightenment and clarity. When in doubt, the proper response must be, not to shy away from the Lord, but to get all the more near Him. Our nearness to Jesus, who is Wisdom Personified, allows us to cast away our doubts and be replaced by Truth and Knowledge.

To the question of John, Jesus might have replied with a straight-forward yes, but that would have gotten him into trouble with the authorities. Neither could he deny that he was the Messiah, for that would be lying. Instead, he chose to point out the answer through his actions: “the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.” His actions were exactly the kind of Messiah that Isaiah had predicted. Jesus was happy to let his actions speak for themselves.

When we open our eyes, we can see the miraculous actions of God in our midst. God is alive and active. We are able to rejoice always when, in the eyes of faith, we see how God blesses us with endless graces each and every day. Amen!