The Desert Shall Rejoice! Third Sunday of Advent
The desert will rejoice,
and flowers will bloom in the wastelands
The desert will sing and shout for joy.
Isaiah 35:1–2a
When we think about the desert we imagine an empty and dry place. It could be a place that lacks beauty or freshness. Often, the wilderness is a place of testing one’s faith through suffering deprivation. You would not want to spend your holiday in the wilderness.
In contrast, when we think about Christmas, we think about shopping malls crawling with people; tables full of delicious food while families gather together and have fun sharing stories and exchanging gifts. Christmas is a time for giving and celebrating God’s abundant blessings.
This is the third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete or Rejoicing. It symbolizes the increasing excitement and joy as people anticipate the coming of the Messiah.
The reading from the prophet Isaiah articulates the same kind of joy and excitement that people feel when God saves his people. This joy is compared to the flourishing of life in the desert where flowers will bloom and vicious animals disappear. The desert will be a place full of life and beauty like a wonderful garden overflowing with springs and streams of water. The wilderness will be a place of healing and security as God destroys the enemies of his people. Such a wonderful image.
The prophet then shifts to another metaphor. This time, a highway that leads to the city of God’s people, it’s called, “the Holy Way” or “Road to Holiness”. Apparently, to experience the joy of God’s salvation and the flourishing life, we are invited to go on this journey of holiness that leads to freedom and eternal gladness.
Do we sometimes feel that we are lost in the wilderness? Do we sometimes feel that everything is so dry, we lack the energy and enthusiasm to do the things that we used to enjoy doing? Let us take the journey and meet God on the highways of life. Allow Him to create fresh springs of living water in our desert places so we can experience healing, security, and abundance in His holy presence.
