Reflection on Gaudete Sunday and Newtown

Gaudete in Latin is the imperative: "Rejoice!" and it is always what the third Sunday of Advent is called.

We may not feel much like rejoicing today, with the terrible news that has come from Connecticut, and we may not know what we can do about it, if anything. The question of the theodicy, that is, why do bad things happen to good people, is not something that I can give the answer to: the best minds down the ages have not been able to settle the question and I am far from the best mind around.

I don't pretend to console anyone. The question that John the Baptist is asked in Luke's Gospel, "What then should we do?" is pertinent, though. Those who do not profess any belief in God will probably not get a lot of comfort from my sermon, to be delivered tomorrow. So I have put most of it under a cut, which if you are interested you may pursue.

Dec. 16, 2012 Gaudete Sunday/3rd Sunday of Advent
Sermon delivered at St. John the Evangelist, 10AM.
First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18 Epistle: Philippians 4:4-7; Gospel: Luke 3:10-18

“And the crowds asked him: ‘What then should we do?’”

In the name of God, the one, the Undivided Trinity. AMEN.

( The rest of the sermon is under the cut. )