“Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?” The question of John the Baptist to Jesus is a question of assurance. Jesus didn’t give a yes or no answer. Instead, he gave events, circumstances, and signs that many prophets have foretold about the Messiah. In short, Jesus is the fulfillment of all the promises that God has given to the prophets. This could be a good reason to rejoice.

Today is the Gaudete Sunday, the day of rejoicing. Do we have reasons to rejoice? How can we be joyful when we see poverty, problems, corruption, traffic, etc., around us? How can we be joyful when many of our people don’t have money to buy for their Noche Buena this coming Christmas? How can we be joyful when we see our bills are high? At least these days in the Philippines we have many reasons to rejoice (“magsaya”) because the country successfully ended the hosting of the SEA GAMES; the Philippines is the overall champion of the competition (149 gold medals); at least for some days, we were united to support our athletes (“walang dilawan, walang pulahan”). In general, do we have reasons to be joyful? YES!!!

We REJOICE because according to the gospel the coming of Jesus brings sight to the blind, capacity to walk to the lame, healing to the lepers, hearing to the deaf, and life to the dead. Another reason to rejoice is that Good News is finally proclaimed to the poor. The good news (buona notizia) is not only “good” but also “beautiful news” (bella notizia) and “joyful news” (gioia notizia). The gospel is a message of beauty that creates, arouses and gives joy. The coming of Jesus (who is the Good News) calls us to a good life but also beautiful and joyful lives not plastic nor superficial.

We REJOICE because Jesus is our “STAR NG PASKO”. There is a Filipino Christmas Song that children love to sing this season. “Kung kailan pinakamadilim, Ang mga tala ay mas nagniningning, Gaano man kakapal ang ulap, Sa likod nito ay may liwanag…Dahil ikaw Bro, dahil ikaw Bro.Dahil ikaw Bro. Ang star ng pasko” Jesus is the star, the reason for this season. Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD once wrote that without CHRIST in the word CHRISTMAS only the word MAS remains..M-malabo A-ang S-samahan..M-many A-are S-sad…M-magulo A-ang S-sanlibutan. Jesus is the reason, the center, the star, the “parol” of our lives.

We REJOICE because Jesus is our HOPE. Faith is the virtue that tells us there is God. Hope is the virtue by which we trust that this God keeps his promises. It is the virtue that keeps us going when we are tempted to think that Jesus is asleep. Psalm 62 reminds us “In God alone is my soul at rest, for my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock, my stronghold, my fortress, I stand firm.”

Tomorrow, we are going to start the Simbang Gabi. These are nine-day joyful celebrations that remind us through the readings and the Gospels that Christmas is not about going fast and doing much but about going to the heart of the baby Jesus and doing more for the others with love.