Next exit

A homily for the Third Sunday of Advent, December 17, 2023

Is 61:1-2A, 10-11, 1 Thes 5:16-24, Jn 1:6-8, 19-28

From 1959 until 1976, I lived in a split-level development house whose backyard butted up against a berm that shielded us from the Garden State Parkway. The yard, in fact, was more hill than flat, which is why my brothers and I spent more time climbing trees than playing some sort of ball sport.

Any time Dad drove us anywhere besides beautiful downtown Lincroft or La Côte Rouge, he usually opted to take the Parkway. These were the days of Stay Alive on Route 35, and back then, Dad almost didn’t. The 25-cent toll was a pittance to pay.

Besides safety and speed, the Parkway provided one other advantage: signage. By watching for the magic number of 109, my brothers and I knew all by ourselves that we were almost home. 

No need for any “Are we there yet?” whines.

Today, we light the rose candle along with the two violet ones in the Advent wreath, symbolizing the joy — Gaudete! — we feel knowing our celebration of the Nativity is but eight days away. 

In our passages from Scripture, the prophet Isaiah and the Apostle to the Gentiles heartily endorse overwhelming joy.

St. Paul in particular urges us to rejoice today and every day, because of God’s flood of gifts, because of the presence of Emmanuel in our lives.

But Paul also tempers his letter to the people of Thessalonica the way we might hear a shopping mall Santa — or E.T. — admonish children to Be Good. Have fun, whoop it up, but keep your noses clean. Jesus will come again; we know not when.

Which in a roundabout way brings us back to the Parkway — and Parkway signs — for a minute. 

On New Jersey roads, unlike those in, say, Montana, we get ample warning far in advance that our exit is coming up. Exit 109, two miles. Exit 109, one mile. Exit 109, one-half mile. Exit 109, one-quarter mile. Exit 109, if you’re not in the right lane by now, it’s time to panic and cut off all the drivers who will hate you for the rest of their lives (or at least lean on their horns).

Ample warning, courtesy of abundant signage.

Ample warning, courtesy of the four weeks of Advent.

Ample warning, courtesy of Isaiah and, today, courtesy of another visit with John the Baptist.

Having driven New Jersey roads for 51 years and been aware of Advent for 60-plus, I can testify that even with ample warning, people still panic when they find themselves in the wrong lane as their exit — like Christmas — is right around the next bend.

Quite often, I’m the guiltiest of all. I have the receipts from Boscov’s and Macy’s to prove it.

So, in the spirit of Paul’s letter today, let’s look at the Gaudete rose candle two ways: as a reminder to rejoice and as a reminder to make sure we have made straight the paths in our own lives so that our Newborn King can reach straight into our hearts, minds and souls.

Yes, today’s candle has a double meaning, not only because we know our destination is near, but because we still have some time in Advent left to do some personal housecleaning and decorating and spiritual gift-wrapping before the Christmas miracle.

We’ll be there soon. We just have to pay attention to the signs.