“Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.” — Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

This Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday (Rejoice!).  The readings can be found here. The theme a call to rejoice and celebrate God’s presence even in this Advent Season of waiting.  As Pope Francis said in his encyclical Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel):

“The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. This is a very real danger for believers too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God’s will for us, nor is it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen Christ.”

This week’s reflection comes from Sacred Space 102fm in West Limerick, Ireland (and is attributable to St. Louis University).  The reflection is short but powerful as it captures the essence of being joyful in the presence of God even a bad situation. You can read the full reflection here but set forth below is a summary:

“Henri Nouwen was once asked: “Are you an optimist?” His reply: “No, not naturally, but that isn’t important. I live in hope, not optimism.”

Teilhard de Chardin once said the same thing in different words when he was accused of being overly-idealistic and unrealistic in the face all the negative things one sees in the world. A critic had challenged him: “Suppose we blow up the world with a nuclear bomb, what then happens to your vision of a world coming together in peace?” Teilhard’s response lays bare the anatomy of hope: “If we blow up the world by nuclear bombs, that will set things back some millions of years, but eventually what Christ promised will come about, not because I wish it, but because God has promised it and, in the resurrection, God has shown that God is powerful enough to deliver on that promise.”

Hope is precisely that, a vision of life that guides itself by God’s promise, irrespective of whether the situation looks optimistic or pessimistic at any given time.”

Read Full Reflection

Other Resources:

Reflection for Gaudette Sunday Last Year
Living Space
Creighton Online Ministries