Lord Jesus Series: Wednesday Third Week Advent

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Wednesday — Third Week of Advent (Year A)

Entrance Antiphon:

“Rejoice, O heavens, and exult, O earth;

for the Lord has comforted His people

and will have mercy on His afflicted.”

(cf. Isaiah 49:13)

Reflection

As Advent moves deeper into joy, today’s Entrance Antiphon widens the invitation dramatically: “Rejoice, O heavens, and exult, O earth.”
This is not quiet, private gladness. It is cosmic rejoicing. Heaven and earth are summoned together because what God is doing touches all of creation. Advent joy is never small; it spills outward, drawing everything into its orbit.

The reason for this rejoicing is beautifully tender: “for the Lord has comforted His people.”
Comfort in Scripture is not mere consolation or soothing words. It is the strong, faithful presence of God drawing near to His people in their vulnerability. Isaiah speaks to a people who have known exile, loss, and discouragement — and into that history of suffering, God declares that comfort is coming, because He Himself is coming.

Then the antiphon becomes even more personal: “He will have mercy on His afflicted.”
Advent does not ignore affliction. It names it honestly. But it refuses to let affliction define the future. God’s mercy is not abstract compassion; it is active, restorative love. Mercy bends toward the wounded, the weary, the forgotten, and the struggling. It restores dignity, rekindles hope, and reassures the heart that suffering is not the final word.

This antiphon carries us to the heart of Gaudete’s joy: we rejoice not because everything is resolved, but because God has drawn near in mercy. Joy and mercy are inseparable. When mercy is received, joy awakens. When comfort is known, hope lifts its head.

Notice the tense: “the Lord has comforted His people.”
The prophet speaks as if the work is already done. This is the language of faith — confidence rooted not in circumstances but in God’s promise. Advent teaches us to rejoice in advance, trusting that God’s mercy is already at work, even when we are still waiting for its fullness.

Today’s invitation is simple but profound:
Let yourself be comforted.
Allow mercy to reach you.
And let joy rise — not forced, but received.

Practice for Today:
Pray slowly:
“Lord, comfort me with Your mercy.”
Then notice this notice  this sign of that mercy today. Stop. Breathe and thank God.