Sunday Reflections - THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT – YEAR A

LIGHT FOR THE LIVING

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT – YEAR A

(Isaiah 35:1–6a, 10; James 5:7–10; Matthew 11:2–11)

My beloved in Christ,
In a small rural village called Kpanti, nestled among the rolling hills of Taraba State, there lived a community that depended entirely on the rains, the soil, and patience. Their lives were simple, but their hopes were deep.

 

The Story of Mama Sadiya and the Silent Season

There was a woman in Kpanti known as Mama Sadiya, a widow who farmed a small piece of land by the edge of a dry stream. For many seasons, her crops failed. The soil cracked, the stream dried up, and hunger knocked at her door.

Each evening, Mama Sadiya would sit under the old tamarind tree and pray:

“God of our fathers, have you forgotten me?”

But heaven remained silent.

Some villagers whispered,
“Perhaps God has passed her by.”
Others said,
“Maybe her prayers are not strong enough.”

Still, Mama Sadiya waited.

One day, in her pain and confusion, she sent her young nephew to the village catechist with a question very similar to John the Baptist’s:

“Go and ask the elders—Is help truly coming, or should I look elsewhere?”

 

The Answer That Came Without Words

The catechist did not return with arguments or explanations.
Instead, a strange thing began to happen.

• Clouds gathered over the hills.
• The dry stream began to murmur again.
• Grass sprouted where dust once ruled.
• Weak goats grew strong.
• Hungry children laughed again.

Mama Sadiya’s farm, long forgotten, became the greenest in the village.

No voice came from heaven.
No angel appeared.
But life returned.

The elders then said to her:

“Look around you, Mama Sadiya.
The land is healing.
The hungry are eating.
The weak are standing again.
Is this not the answer?”

And she understood.

 

Understanding the Readings Through the Story

Like John the Baptist in prison, Mama Sadiya experienced God’s silence. John sent messengers to Jesus asking:

“Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

Jesus did not defend Himself with words.
Instead, He pointed to transformation:

• The blind see
• The lame walk
• The poor receive good news

Just as Mama Sadiya saw the land revive, John was told to see what God was already doing.

 

Patience Like a Farmer (James 5:7–10)

The villagers of Kpanti understood farming. They knew you cannot shout at the soil to produce crops. You wait. You weed. You trust the seasons.

St. James says:

“Be patient, brothers and sisters, like the farmer waiting for the precious fruit of the earth.”

Mama Sadiya did not abandon her farm.
She did not curse the soil.
She waited—and rejoiced when the rains came.

 

The Desert Will Rejoice (Isaiah 35)

The prophet Isaiah tells us that:

“The desert and the wilderness shall rejoice and blossom.”

Kpanti’s dry land became a living testimony of this promise. What looked abandoned was not forgotten. What seemed silent was already being prepared.

 

A Message for Us Today

My beloved,
Do you feel God is silent in your situation?

• In sickness?
• In delay?
• In rejection?
• In unanswered prayers?

Like Mama Sadiya…
Like John the Baptist…
God is not silent.

He is working quietly, restoring, healing, and preparing joy.

And very soon:

• You will rejoice.
• You will be glad.
• Your wilderness will bloom.
• Your waiting will turn to testimony.

 

Conclusion

Blessed are those who do not lose hope when God seems quiet.
Blessed are those who wait like farmers.
Blessed are those who trust transformation more than explanations.

May your desert rejoice.
May your patience bring joy.
May your silence turn into singing.

Happy Sunday.
May God bless you.

Rev. Fr. Chinedu Ibearugbulem, C.S.Sp