St. Barnabas Homily, 3 RD Sun. Advent Gaudette Sun 12 17 2017 (1Thes 5: 16-24) Yr B. THIS WEEKEND,,, WE CELEBRATE GAUDETTE SUNDAY ,,, THE THIRD SUNDAY OF THE ADVENT SEASON AND GAUDETTE SUNDAY; MEANS “ JOYOUS SUNDAY. THIS WEEK,,, WE LIGHT THE “ ROSE COLORED CANDLE ” AND THE CELEBRANT WEARS A “ ROSE COLORED CHAUSABLE ” WHICH SYMBOLIZES JOY. AS WE CELEBRATE THIS “ JOYOUS TIME ”,,, LET ME REMIND EVERYONE,,, THAT CHRISTMAS,,, THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,,, IS ONLY TWO WEEKS,,, AWAY AND WE ARE ABOUT TO RECEIVE THE GREATEST GIFT THAT GOD HAS EVER GIVEN TO US,,, HIS ONLY BELOVED SON,,, OUR LORD,,, JESUS CHRIST! NOW,,, I KNOW IT’S A LITTLE EARLY TO OPEN ANY OF OUR AWESOME CHRISTMAS PRESENTS,,, BUT THIS WEEKS 2 ND READING IN THESSALONIANS,,, WRITTEN BY PAUL,,, SPEAKS OF SOME “ SPIRITUAL GIFTS ” THAT GOD GIVES US,,, IN PREPARATION FOR & DURING JESUS’ 2 ND COMING ! PAUL’S NOT ONLY CONVINCED,,, BUT IS ENCOURAGING ALL BELIEVERS,,, THAT THE : “ GOD OF PEACE ”,,, WILL MAKE YOU PERFECTLY HOLY; IN SPIRIT,,, SOUL,,, AND BODY ,,, AND HE WILL PRESERVE YOU,,, TOTALLY BLAMELESS,,, AT THAT AWESOME AND GLORIOUS SECOND COMING,,, OF CHRIST JESUS ! WHAT A GIFT? “ HOLY AND BLAMELESS ! THIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS,,, IS THE VERY 1 ST TIME THAT SCRIPTURE USES “ SPIRIT ,,, SOUL AND BODY ” ALL AT ONCE,,, TOGETHER! USUALLY,,, SCRIPTURE ONLY SPEAKS OF “ SPIRIT AND BODY ”! INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,,, PAUL USES ALL THREE TO MAKE IT CLEAR,,, THAT THE ENTIRETY OF THE BELIEVERS LIFE,,, WILL BE BLAMELESS! BECAUSE OF THE GRACE OF GOD,,, THROUGH CHRIST JESUS,,, GOD THE FATHER DECLARES IT SO,,, AS IS STATED IN: (1 THESSALONIANS 5: 24 ): “THE ONE WHO CALLS YOU IS FAITHFUL AND WILL ALSO ACCOMPLISH IT!” SCRIPTURE ALSO STATES IN: ( PHILIPPIANS 1:6 ) “THAT HE WHO HAS BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN YOU, WILL CARRY IT ON TO COMPLETION,,, UNTIL THE DAY OF CHRIST JESUS!” THIS,,, DESCRIBES THE GRACE AND WORK OF GOD,,, IN ROMAN’S,,, THAT ACCOMPLISHES THIS HOLINESS AND BLAMELESSNESS OF BODY,,, SOUL AND SPIRIT,,, IF YOU HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST AND RAISED WITH HIM INTO RESURRECTION LIFE,,, AND YOU HAVE MADE THE COMITTMENT TO RECEIVE HIS GRACE,,, LOVE AND FORGIVENESS OF SIN,,, AND CONTINUALLY REPENT OF SIN,,, THEN,,, AS SCRIPTURE SAYS,,, “YOU HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED AND MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST. PAUL LATER WROTE,,, IN “ EPHESIANS (1: 4) ”,,, THAT BELIEVERS WERE CHOSEN IN CHRIST BEFORE CREATION “TO BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS ”. THAT IS THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF EVERY COMITTED BELIEVERS SPIRIT AND SOUL ,,, BY GOD’S GRACE IN JESUS CHRIST . AS FOR YOUR BODY,,, ( 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16 ) TELLS US PLAINLY; “DON’T YOU KNOW,,, THAT YOU YOURSELVES ARE GOD’S TEMPLE AND THAT GOD’S SPIRIT DWELLS IN YOUR MIDST?” AND AGAIN IN ( 1 CORINTHIANS 6: 19-20 ) “DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOUR BODIES ARE TEMPLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,,, WHO IS IN YOU,,, WHOM YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD? YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN,,, YOU WERE BOUGHT AT A PRICE. THEREFORE,,, HONOR GOD AND YOUR BODIES.” ST. PAUL IS ASSURING US,,, AS BELIEVERS IN CHRIST,,, WHO SIN,,, CONFESS THEIR SIN,,, AND WHO CONTINUE TO SPIRITUALLY GROW,,, IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,,, THAT WE ARE SPIRITUALLY PROTECTED,,, HOLY AND BLAMELESS,,, IN BODY,,, SPIRIT,,, AND SOUL ,,, BY THE GRACE AND GIFT OF GOD ,,, UNTIL THE DAY JESUS COMES AGAIN! WHAT A WONDERFUL GIFT OF MERCY AND GRACE THAT WE ARE TO MEDITATE ON,,, DURING THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON. BUT,,, UNTIL JESUS RETURNS,,, THE ADVENT HOMILIES ARE MEANT TO ENCOURAGE US,,, TO REMAIN ALERT,,, TO STAY AWAKE,,, AND TO REMAIN WATCHFUL! THE LORD KNOWS OUR WEAKNESSES AND HOW WE STRUGGLE WITH TEMPTATION. HE KNOWS THE PROBLEMS OF OUR LIVES AND HE KNOWS,,, VERY WELL,,, THE TRIALS IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES,,, WHICH WE SEEM UNABLE TO OVERCOME. THIS TIME OF WAITING,,, BEFORE THE RETURN OF JESUS IS A SPIRITUAL BATTLE WITH SIN ,,, BUT PAUL SAYS,,, THAT THE “ WILL OF GOD ” IN CHRIST JESUS,,, WILL GIVE US THE STRENGTH NEEDED TO OVERCOME ANY CIRCUMSTANCES PAUL TELLS US TO REJOICE ALWAYS,,, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING ,,, IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES GIVE THANKS,,, DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT,,, DO NOT DISPISE PROPHETIC UTTERENCES,,, OR THE WORD OF GOD. TEST EVERYTHING YOU HEAR,,, RETAIN WHAT IS GOOD,,, AND REFRAIN FROM EVIL. NOW,,, YOU MAY BE THINKING; THESE AREN’T CHRISTMAS GIFTS . IT SEEMS MORE LIKE A “ TO DO ” LIST! NOT AT ALL! SCRIPTURE IS TELLING US: “LOOK AT WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO YOU,,, IN JESUS . IT’S THE JOY,,, OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS ! THIS IS THE CHRISTMAS SEASON AND AS WE OPEN OUR GIFTS OF PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING ,,, WHEN WE HEAR HIS WORD AND USE IT IN OUR DAILY LIVES ,,, AND WHEN WE REFRAIN FROM EVIL ,,, WE ARE USING THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS FROM GOD,,, THAT BUILD UP OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND SANCTIFICATION,,, WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE COMING OF JESUS! THESE ARE TOOLS,,, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT USES,,, TO GUIDE OUR LIVES IN HOLINESS,,, BECAUSE,,, ALONE,,, WE CAN NOT LIVE IN HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS,,, WITHOUT THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! BROTHERS AND SISTERS,,, WE NEED TO OPEN THESE SPECIAL GIFTS,,, WHENEVER,,, WHEREVER AND FOR,,, WHATEVER WE NEED,,, BY ASKING IN SHORT TALKS; (*) HOW DO I HANDLE THIS PROBLEM,,, LORD? (*) WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT THIS,,, OR,,, THAT? YOU SEE,,, THESE SHORT CONVERSATIONS WITH JESUS,,, THROUGH OUR LIVES,,, ARE GOD’S SPECIAL GIFTS TO US! BE A THANKFUL BELIEVER,,, WHETHER YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE TRAPPED IN SOME KIND OF PRISION,,, LIKE PAUL OR WHEN YOU’RE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF ,,, OR WHEN YOU’RE BEING MADE FUN OF,,, BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITH ,,, OR WHEN YOU’RE FACING ANY OTHER KIND OF DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCE . CHRIST JESUS WILL BRING VICTORY AND PEACE,,, OVER THE POWER OF SIN AND CIRCUMSTANCES IN OUR LIVES BY FAITH AND TRUST! IT’S OUR CHOICE ,,, TO RAISE “ THINGS ” UP TO THE LORD IN PRAYER,,, OR NOT ,,, AND IT’S OUR CHOICE ,,, TO BE A THANKFUL BELIEVER,,, OR,,, TO COMPLAIN! BUT WHEN WE CHOOSE TO USE GOD’S GIFTS,,, JESUS PROMISED IN SCRIPTURE THAT HE WILL BLESS US WITH HIS PEACE,,, A PEACE,,, THAT SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING AND THAT THE WORLD CAN’T GIVE ! GOD’S OTHER GIFTS CONTINUE TO ADD TO OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH. THEY ARE; “DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT,,, DO NOT DESPISE PROPHETIC UTTERENCES,,, OR THE WORD OF GOD. TEST EVERYTHING YOU HEAR,,, RETAIN WHAT IS GOOD AND REFRAIN FROM EVIL.” JESUS PROMISED TO SEND THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE US INTO ALL TRUTH AND THE MEANS,,, BY WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES THAT,,, IS BY HEARING THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL,,, AND THEN,,, WHEN EACH ONE OF YOU,,, AS BELIEVERS,,, READS AND STUDIES THE SCRIPTURES YOURSELVES. BROTHERS AND SISTERS,,,THE BIBLE IS VERY CLEAR,,, THAT IN THE TIME BEFORE JESUS RETURNS,,, THERE WILL BE MANY FALSE PROPHETS AND TEACHERS ,,, WHO WILL RISE UP,,, EVEN FROM WITHIN THE CHURCH ,,, WHO WILL; “ TICKLE THEIR EARS ”,,, (2 TIMOTHY 4:3) BY TELLING THEM; “ WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR !” IF WE BELIEVERS DON’T STUDY SCRIPTURE AND ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO “ TEACH US THE TRUTH ”,,, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO “ TEST ” ALL THINGS,,, HOLD ON TO THE GOOD AND AVOID EVERY KIND OF EVIL! BROTHERS AND SISTERS,,, IF YOU DON’T HAVE A SOLID FOUNDATION OF THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD,,, IN WHICH TO PUT OUR TRUST AND IN WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN GUIDE US,,, THEN,,, WE’LL LOSE THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE WHAT EXACTLY IS GOD’S TRUTH! THOSE WHO HAVE DEVELOPED NO FOUNDATION ,,, TEND TO TOWARDS TO THE DEVIL. THEY BEGIN TO BELIEVE SOME OF THOSE “ FALSE PROPHETS ”,,, AND SATAN’S LIES,,, AS SCRIPTURE SAYS,,, WOULD HAPPEN! SO,,, WHY NOT READ ONE OF THE GOSPELS,,, THE BOOK OF ROMAN’S,,, OR THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES,,, WHERE YOU WILL SEE,,, THE EARLY CHURCH IN ACTION AND AS YOU SEE THIS ACTION,,, YOU WILL COME TO KNOW MORE COMPLETELY,,, THE LOVE,,, GRACE ,,, PEACE AND CONFIDENCE OF FAITH,,, IN JESUS CHRIST,,, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD,,, WILL GIVE YOU. THESE GIFTS,,, FROM GOD THE FATHER,,, THROUGH CHRIST JESUS,,, ARE SPIRITUAL TOOLS,,, PRAYER,,, THANKSGIVING IN ALL THINGS,,, THE WORD,,, GIVEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT,,,DISCERNMENT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION. LET’S BE BOLD IN PRAYER,,, JOYFUL IN THANKSGIVING EVEN WHEN WE DON’T THINK THAT WE HAVE ANYTHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR. THESE GIFTS,,, THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE LORD,,, FILL OUR HEARTS WITH HIS PEACE AND CONFIDENCE OF FAITH. LET’S MAKE CERTAIN; TO OPEN THEM,,, USE THEM,,, AND,,, HAVE A SIMPLY WONDERFUL AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER,,, AND THE SON,,, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. +++ AMEN +++ (1,410 - 6 Pgs) .