Homily Packs

Third Sunday of Advent (B)

B Adviento 3                         

¿QUÉ TENEMOS QUE HACER? ¡ESTAR ALEGRES!

Queremos celebrar la venida de Cristo con un corazón nuevo y una inmensa alegría. Es el significado de "Adviento". Preguntémonos si hemos hecho todo lo que debíamos hacer: "¿He anunciado la buena nueva a los pobres? ¿He curado los corazones quebrantados? ¿He proclamado el perdón a los cautivos? ¿He concedido la libertad a los prisioneros?". Corremos el peligro de vivir en un mundo de luz y no ver, a fuerza de costumbre. San Juan nos pone en guardia: "En medio de vosotros hay uno al que no conocéis".

Hermanas y hermanos:

1.  El Adviento nos invita a vivir la alegría y el entusiasmo que María cantó en el "Magníficat" por las maravillas obradas por Dios en su persona. "La alegría es el gigantesco secreto del cristiano",  decía Chesterton. En el mundo hay carcajadas falsas y poco duraderas. La alegría cristiana brota de un fondo de serenidad que hay en el alma. La raíz de nuestra alegría está en que hemos sido rescatados del poder del maligno y trasladados a un mundo inundado por la gracia.

2.  El secreto para llegar a la alegría no es precisamente el afanarnos en su búsqueda. No vamos al Señor para llenarnos de alegría, sino para encontrarlo y amarlo; es entonces cuando la alegría nos invade como por sorpresa. La alegría es un privilegio de Dios, es fruto del Espíritu Santo y es característica de su Reino. "En un alma en gracia siempre es primavera", decía el Santo Cura de Ars.

Este es el testimonio urgente que tenemos que dar al mundo: gritar a todos que la fe nos hace felices. La alegría es contagiosa, desarma y arrastra; y es lo que más frecuentemente le falta al cristiano rutinario. Nietzsche decía que los cristianos deberían tener un poquito más "el aspecto de gente salvada y cantar cantos mejores" para poder ser dignos de crédito.

3.  La Navidad ya está cerca, y todos corremos el riesgo de quedar atrapados por el trajín de los días previos a las fiestas. Hemos de dedicar un tiempo a la dimensión interior, espiritual, a la oración, para poder vivir y saborear de verdad lo que estamos a punto de celebrar.

Cuando pensamos en los problemas que nos rodean, cuando experimentamos la crisis económica y la inseguridad, cuando ha muerto una persona querida. ¿Podemos estar alegres? Cuando muchas personas mueren de hambre, cuando muchos pueblos están en guerra, cuando es pisoteada la dignidad de tantas personas. ¿Podemos estar alegres? ¿Podemos vivir felices cuando tantas personas lo pasan mal?

Con todo, san Pablo nos ha dicho en la segunda lectura: "Estad siempre alegres". Esto significa que la alegría es posible. Y debemos vivirla tocando con los pies en el suelo, sin olvidarnos de los problemas que nos rodean.  Hermanos: La alegría y la tristeza es algo que se contagia. Los cristianos debemos reivindicar la alegría, porque creemos y tenemos esperanza. Y nuestra fe no se cimienta artificialmente.

 

Third Sunday of Advent, Year B                   

WHAT ARE WE TO DO?  BE HAPPY! 

Sisters and brothers,

We want to celebrate Christ's coming with a new heart and enormous joy. That is the meaning of "Advent". Let's ask ourselves if we have done all that we were supposed to: "Have I announced the good news of the Gospel to the poor? Have I mended broken hearts? Have I proclaimed pardon to the captive ones? Have I brought liberty to prisoners?" We run the risk of living in a world of light and yet, not see, because of pure routine. Saint John reminds us to be on guard: "Amongst you, there is one whom you don't know."

1. Advent invites us to live the same joy and enthusiasm that Mary proclaimed in the "Magnificat" because of all the beautiful work God had performed in her. "Happiness is the gigantic secret of a Christian", said Chesterton. In this world there are loud but false laughs that don't last long. Christian happiness surfaces from a very deep and serene desire that resides in the soul. The root of our happiness lies in the certainty that we have been rescued from the evil one and brought over to a world inundated with grace.

2. The secret to reach this happiness is not precisely searching for it. We don't go to our Lord to fill ourselves with happiness, but to find Him and love Him. Then, happiness invades us as if by surprise. Happiness is a privilege from God, is a gift of the Holy Spirit, and is the characteristic of His Kingdom. "In a graceful soul it is always spring", used to say the saint priest of Ars. This is the urgent testimony that we must give to the world; scream to all that faith makes us happy. Happiness is contagious, disarms and pulls; and in fact, is what everyday Christians most likely need. Nietzche used to say that Christians should have a little more of "the look of saved people and sing better songs" to be held accountable of their beliefs.

3. Christmas is near and we all run the risk of being trapped in the comings and goings of all the festivities. We must dedicate some time to prepare our interior: our spirit, our prayer life. So that we can really live and enjoy the truth that we are about to celebrate. When we think of all the problems around us, when we experience economic crisis and insecurity, when a loved one has passed away, can we be happy? When so many die of hunger, so many are at war, and the dignity of so many are mistreated, can we be happy? Can we live happy lives when so many are experiencing so many difficulties?

Still, St Paul has told us in the Second Reading "Be always happy". This means that happiness is possible. And we are called to live it - with our feet on the ground and aware of the problems around us. Sisters and brothers: Happiness as well as sadness are contagious. As Christians we must make happiness fashionable because we believe and are hopeful. And our faith is not artificially grounded.

 

View a Sample Homily Pack

Ingredients for your homily!

Sign Up!

Don't have an account yet? Sign up here to get a clergy account and gain access to the full range of ePriest.com services.

At ePriest, we are dedicated to supporting Catholic priests as they serve their people and build up the Church.

We invite you to explore our resources to help your own ministry flourish!

Sign Up Now