3rd
Sunday of Advent A - Dec. 14, 2025
Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11
Theme: How to Wait for Christ Even Amid Our Daily Suffering
1.
Historical and Literary Contexts
Our
Gospel passage begins the narrative section of the third book, which discusses
the growing opposition to Jesus in Israel related to faith and discipleship
(11:1–12:50). Previously, in the second discourse (10:1–11:1), Matthew focused
on the mission the disciples undertook. Then, in our Gospel story, he
specifically aims to answer this question: If Jesus has inaugurated the kingdom
of heaven (primarily the kingdom of justice), why did he not reveal this
kingdom to his cousin, John the Baptist, who is unjustly imprisoned? Throughout
chapter 11, Jesus explains that the kingdom of heaven he established is the
kingdom of freeing people from spiritual imprisonment by sin.
2.
Form, Structure, and Movement
This
Gospel text is a narrative structured into two parts. The first part details
Jesus’ response to John the Baptist’s inquiry, carried by his messengers (vv.
2-6). The second part presents Jesus’ testimony to John the Baptist (vv. 7-11).
3.
Detailed Analysis
Vv.
2-6. From the prison where he is unjustly held, John the Baptist learns about
the works of the Messiah, his cousin Jesus. He sends his messengers to ask
Jesus if he is truly “the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”
(v. 3). John the Baptist’s question seems strange because he is the one who
prepared the people for the start of Jesus’ public ministry. He even recognized
Jesus when he baptized him (see Mt 3:13-14) and acknowledged that Jesus was
mightier than he was and that he was not worthy to untie Jesus’ sandals (see Mt
3:11-12). If he already knew his cousin Jesus, then why does he ask this
question?
John
the Baptist’s question relates to his suffering in prison, which tests his
faith. It is clear he met Jesus and had an experience with him before, during
happier times. Now, this is the first time he has encountered Jesus while
suffering. Through his question, he likely means, “If Jesus is the Messiah, who
brings good news to the afflicted, proclaims liberty to captives, and releases
prisoners as Isaiah predicted (see Is 61:1), why does he not use some of his
power to get me out of this prison?”
In
his response, Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah to demonstrate that he is truly
the Messiah: “The blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed
to them.” (V. 5) (see Is. 35:5-6; also Is. 26:19; 29:18-19; 61:1). In its
literal sense, Jesus is the Messiah because the deeds he has performed fulfill
the salvation Isaiah prophesied. In its spiritual sense, Jesus enables those
whom the devil has spiritually imprisoned. Additionally, the final part of
Jesus' response, “And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me” (v. 6),
means that John the Baptist will be blessed if he is not offended by Jesus’ way
of bringing in the kingdom of heaven, even if it differs from his expectations.
Vv.
7-11. Jesus affirms that John the Baptist is more than a prophet (v. 9).
According to Jewish belief, Malachi was the last Old Testament prophet;
therefore, the Jews were eagerly awaiting the coming of a new prophet. Here,
Jesus affirms that John the Baptist is that new prophet, even more than a
prophet because he is the precursor of the Messiah. The Old Testament quotation
in v. 10 combines Malachi 3:1 and Exodus 23:20. Matthew changes the “before me”
of Malachi into “before you” to read that the messenger now precedes Jesus, but
not God, as in Malachi.[1]
In v. 11, Jesus declares John the Baptist the greatest of all the prophets, and
at the same time, he says that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater
than John the Baptist. In this statement, Jesus means that John the Baptist’s
greatness is nothing compared to the privilege of inheriting the kingdom of
heaven because the least of persons who enter the heavenly kingdom is greater
than John the Baptist.
4. Synthesis
From the prison where he is unjustly held, John the Baptist doubts whether his cousin Jesus is truly the Messiah because Jesus does not use some of his power to free him. In response, Jesus affirms that he is indeed the Messiah because, in a literal sense, his works fulfill the time of salvation Isaiah prophesied, and, in a spiritual sense, he enables those whom the devil has imprisoned spiritually. John the Baptist will be blessed if he is not offended by Jesus’ way of bringing in the kingdom of heaven, even if it differs from what he expects. Afterward, Jesus speaks to the crowds about John the Baptist, praising him and declaring him to be more than a prophet because of his role as the forerunner of the Messiah. He states that the greatness of John the Baptist is nothing compared to the privilege of inheriting the kingdom of heaven, because even the least of those who enter the kingdom is greater than John.
B. Pastoral Implications
- Liturgical Context
We
are on the third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday or Rejoice Sunday.
We light the third candle, the pink one, on our Advent wreath, symbolizing joy.
Today’s liturgy calls us to wait for the coming of our Lord with joy. How can
we wait joyfully despite the trials we face each day? Our first reading
reassures us that God promises to come to save us someday, and the second
reading encourages us to wait patiently for the fulfillment of God’s promise.
The Gospel urges us to keep holding fast to our faith in Jesus and to
prioritize our work for the kingdom of heaven, even amid suffering.
- What the Church
Teaches Us Today
The
first part of our Gospel story (Mt 11:2-6) teaches us to maintain our faith in
Jesus even when we face suffering. John experienced Jesus during his (John)
good times. This is his first time experiencing Jesus in the most afflicted
moment of his (John) life. Through his question in v. 3, he probably doubts
that Jesus might be the Messiah because he does not see the works of the
kingdom, which Jesus establishes fulfilled in his case. Jesus does not free him
from the jail where he is unjustly detained. Sometimes, we act like John the
Baptist here when we continue facing suffering and question whether Jesus is
God and why he does not hear our prayers.
In
his response to John the Baptist and us today, Jesus, quoting Isaiah 35:5-6,
the passage we heard in our first reading, lets us know that yes, he is the
Messiah because the “blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news
proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”
(Mt 11:5-6). We learn three lessons from this statement. First, in the literal
sense, Jesus is the Messiah because his deeds mark the fulfillment of the time
of salvation Isaiah prophesied. Jesus wants John the Baptist and us to know
that he is using his messianic power effectively to others. Our suffering
should not blind us to the blessings that God bestows upon others. We do not necessarily
need a sign or miracle to happen to us before we believe in Jesus.
Second,
in the spiritual sense, Jesus wants John the Baptist and us to know that his
messianic mission is to free those Satan has imprisoned spiritually, which is
not John’s case. While John the Baptist and we condition our faith in the
Messiah on physical proof, Jesus gives us spiritual evidence. From the
perspective of the first reading, Isaiah’s vision (Is 35:5-6) highlights the
spiritual disabilities of his fellow Israelites. Their multiple crises rendered
them “feeble, weak, and fearful” (see Is 35:3-4). Likewise, we are spiritually
blind, deaf, and lame when we do not believe in Jesus and do not recognize the
blessings he bestows on others. In this Eucharistic celebration, let us believe
in Jesus and Isaiah’s prophecy regarding God’s promise to come to save us,
which we heard in our first reading will be fulfilled in us. Our spiritual eyes
will see the manifestation of the kingdom of heaven in us. Our ears will listen
to the Word of God, and our tongues will proclaim it and praise God wherever we
live. We, who were spiritually lame before, will now leap joyously to meet our
Lord in each Mass we attend.
Third,
the final part of Jesus' answer in our Gospel, “And blessed is the one who
takes no offense at me,” means that we are blessed if we are not offended by
Jesus’ way of bringing in the kingdom of heaven, even if it differs from what
we expect. We believe that God does not make mistakes. So, we are called to
continue believing in our Lord, even though things do not happen as we would
like them to. Let us wait patiently for the fulfillment of God’s promise, as
Saint James exhorts us in our second reading. He uses the analogy of a farmer
who waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it
receives the early and late rains. For Saint James, being patient means
strengthening our hearts and refraining from complaining about one another so
that we may not be judged (James 5:8-9).
In
the second part of our Gospel (vv. 7-11), Jesus affirms that John the Baptist’s
greatness is nothing compared to the privilege of inheriting the kingdom of
heaven because the least among those who enter the heavenly kingdom is greater
than John the Baptist. This teaches us to prioritize our work for eternal
salvation in the kingdom of heaven. Nothing should stop us from striving to
inherit this kingdom, not even our daily tribulations.
May
the liturgy of this Mass enable us not to lose our faith in Jesus but to
continue waiting for his coming with patience and joy even amid our suffering.
Amen.
Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD
Pastor of Holy Family
Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &
SVD USS Biblical
Apostolate Coordinator
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