Select Page

1. WRATH is the PASSION a person has to ‘set things right’. Now I personally say and do some stupid things. And when I do, what I have to look forward to is the WRATH OF BETH. SHE is a person who likes to ‘set things right’. Wrath when used in love CAN LEAD to Joy. And that is what this 3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudette Sunday) is all about.

2. God has Wrath. And many times we see it extended by godly agents know as Prophets. Today we hear from Zephaniah and he presented God’s wrath in some very STRONG SPEECH.

He preached to the Kingdom of JUDAH and to the city of JERUSALEM during the late 7th century B.C. For Israel, this was a period of religious degradation. The pure monotheism of Moses was almost forgotten. Old pagan idols, like the SUN, MOON, STARS were being worshipped, even in the holy city of Jerusalem. Alien religious RITUALS were also introduced to the people. So Zephaniah was called to lower the boom to point to God and ‘Set Things Right’.

The book of Zephaniah has just 3 chapters. The 1st is about the DAY of the LORD as a day of DOOM and DISASTER for the world. Zeph 1:2 says “I will completely sweep away all things from the face of the earth”. And in Zeph 1:17 he says, “I will hem men in till they walk like the blind because they have sinned against the Lord. And their blood shall be poured out like dust and their brains like dung”.

The 2nd chapter is how the DAY of the LORD is a day of JUDGE- MENT. Especially on those who are enemies of God’s People. Zeph 2:3 says “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who have observed the Law of the Lord…, PERHAPS you may be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s Anger.” Then he warns the Cretans, Moabs, Philistines, and Ammonites that a remnant of my people will PLUNDER you.

The first part of the chapter 3, is a REPROACH to the Holy City of Jerusalem. There too WRATHFUL words abound. Zeph. 3:1 “Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted, to the tyrannical city! She hears no voice, accepts no correction”. (Zephaniah is nothing compared to the Wrath of Beth). Zephaniah as it turns out, is also a prophet of CONSOLATION and HOPE. And he ends with words of PROMISE to the nation, the city, to a people who find out that if they CHANGE themselves, a remnant of the Chosen People will be saved and to that remnant God will fulfill this PROMISE: —he will FORGIVE Jerusalem and SEND it a lasting peace, for He will come to dwell in it as a “mighty savior”. The reading today was taken from chapter 3’s ‘HYMN of HOPE’. Zeph. 3:14 “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! …the Lord has removed the judgment against you”. The People clung to that hope for 700 years.

3. So today we find John the Baptist preaching at the Jordan. He has been causing a stir all over Palestine. With that Promise in mind, some were thinking he was the MESSIAH, while some thought he was a PROPHET. They hadn’t had a prophet from God in over 200 years.

John also preached the WRATH of God, sensing a need to ‘Set Things right’ as he told the people the time was now for a “Change of heart and a ‘turning to things spiritual’. In his own FIERY way he grabs the people’s attention as he said: “I will Baptize you with water, He will Baptize you with Fire” AND “His winnowing fork is in His hand, to gather the wheat into his barn and the chaff into the unquenchable fire”. He wants them to forget political troubles and be more concerned with loving the neighbor. How can we do that? Share Clothes and food with the poor; be law abiding and honest.

John’s words are a mixture of tough and tender, of reproach and consolation. And they harkened back to the Promise of Zephaniah and the Joy they will have if they change. The Messiah will FREE them from their SINS and bring the PEACE of God into their lives.

4. Advent is a time to think about how important the ‘Prophets’ HAD BEEN and ARE to our lives. The Prophets are those who sense things are going wrong and there is a need to set it right. Pointing ‘Jesus Out” to Nations, Cities and People and to call all to a ‘Change of Heart’. The church, led by Pope Benedict, Bishops and Clergy, are our Zephaniah and Baptist of this time. It seems to me though, sometimes an important extension of these ‘Major Prophets’ in our midst, are the ‘Minor Prophets’ who know God’ s will and seriously practice their Catholic Faith. That’s where people like Beth…or you and I fit in. When it comes to our Faith, the ‘Minor Prophets’, lead by action because they are in the trenches. At times they must speak ‘Wrathfully’ with picturesque words to inspire. These prophets must ‘point to Jesus’ to spouses, family, friends, neighbors, students and colleagues. Inspire them to be more generous and patient, more humble and forgiving. The ‘Minor Prophets’ must inspire people to be strong and forthright in the practices of the faith.

5. The sun, moon and star gods are making a strong come back and alien religious practices are creeping into our Nation, Cities and people. We need all prophets to speak out. If their words are not heeded; listen for the cries of anguish as ‘blood pours like dust and brains like dung’. But, ‘Perhaps’ if we change and follow Jesus, we will be sheltered from the anger of the Lord, we’ll Sing that Hymn of Hope and hear those ‘Shouts of Joy’.