The Liturgy Comes to Make us New in Christ (Third Sunday of Advent) Year A

The Liturgical Sense of the Readings at Catholic Mass

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Reflection on the Readings at Mass for The Third Sunday of Advent (Year A). The Liturgical Sense of the Scriptures Podcast, by Catholic Author and Theologian David L. Gray.

The Liturgy Comes to Make us New in Christ

This episode reflects on the joy and renewal offered through the readings for Gaudete Sunday. The liturgy invites us to experience the same newness that came with Christ’s birth and continues through His presence in the Eucharist.

Isaiah’s Prophecy (Isaiah 35:1-6): Centuries before Christ, Isaiah foretold God’s coming in person to save His people, marked by miracles—sight for the blind, hearing for the deaf, and joy for the redeemed.
Patience and Preparation (James 5:7-10): Like farmers awaiting harvest, we are called to patience and perseverance before receiving Christ, both in salvation history and in the liturgy.
Gospel Assurance (Matthew 11:2-11): Jesus confirms His identity to John the Baptist through signs of renewal—healing, restoration, and good news for the poor.
Liturgical Connection: The Mass mirrors salvation history: preparation before communion, reconciliation before peace, and joy after perseverance. Christ Himself is the “new thing”—the new wine and bread that transforms us.

Key Message: God continually brings newness and joy. Through the Eucharist, He renews us daily, calling us to live in the world what we receive in the liturgy: a life transformed in Christ.

THIS AUDIO COMMENTARY WAS BASED UPON THE WRITTEN VERSION IN: The Liturgical Sense of the Readings at Mass – Year A, by David L. Gray