Third Sunday of Advent:

“The spirit of the Lord is upon me.” Isaiah 61:1

During Advent, our readings point to the coming of Christ. Jesus, the waited-for-Messiah, is the fulfillment of the prophecies in Isaiah. In this Chapter, Isaiah speaks to the covenantal relationship between God and the role of the Messiah, who will right the social order through ending hunger, freeing prisoners, releasing captives, and announcing a year of favor. Even the Earth will respond, as plants grow abundantly and water springs up from the ground, an important saving grace in a desert land. The social order will be restored through a just world. 

Hundreds of years later, we find John the Baptist also pointing to the coming of the Messiah, as Jesus comes into his ministerial role and fulfills the promises of God as written in Isaiah. John is clearly seen as a prophet, but acknowledges that he is not the promised one. In a few weeks, we will hear about the Baptism of Jesus, which takes place just after the Gospel passage today. John will see the Spirit “come down like a dove” to rest upon Jesus during his Baptism. 

We invoke that same Spirit as we make the Sign of the Cross; the Spirit that was called upon us in Baptism and affirmed in Confirmation; the Spirit, Ruah, that we breathe in with every breath. 

It is this Spirit that allows Mary to proclaim in the Psalm today, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; My spirit rejoices in God my savior.” The Spirit comes to us and calls us forward. The Spirit rests on us, but doesn’t let us rest. In breathing in the Spirit, in being anointed, in being Baptized and Confirmed, we too are sent forth to right the social order as proclaimed by Mary in the Magnificat and Isaiah in the first reading and exemplified by Jesus in the Gospels. I think of the words of St. Teresa of Avila, “May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.” 

During this Advent season, we are given many possibilities to right the social order through volunteering, charity, advocacy, and our day-to-day interactions. How will the Spirit impel you to participate in God’s mission? How will you continue to grow into who God is calling you to be - righting the social order with each small and great action - as you prepare to welcome Christ, the Prince of Peace, again this Christmas?