Saturday, December 13, 2025
Letter from the Editor //
Dear Sister,
Gaudete! Rejoice! The liturgy for this Third Sunday of Advent reminds us to rejoice in our hopeful waiting for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. The First Reading is soaked through with this hope promising that “[t]he desert and the parched land will exult” (Isaiah 35:1). We may feel dry and worn out now, but the Lord is doing something great in our lives now, just as He did in those days He walked in Israel, when John the Baptist sent word to ask Who Jesus was. Jesus’ response in the Gospel is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, who promised that when the Savior came, “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the deaf ears be clear; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing” (Isaiah 35: 5-6). The people of Jesus’ day witnessed these very things happening around them both in physical healings and in deeper, whole person healings.
Sister, the Lord is still working His healing power in the world. Our coming celebration of Christmas is an annual reminder of His healing love for us. There are many ways in which we are blind, deaf, and lame—unable to see the truth, hear God’s word clearly, and do the Lord’s work as we are called. The Lord offers us special grace at Christmas, the grace of healing. From the moment our God became Man, He began the work of our redemption. This Advent, pray to be set free from your captivity to your sins and inability to trust in Him (see Psalm 146:7). He will come soon. And as the world swirls around you, “[y]ou too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7-10).
In Christ’s Love,
Susanna
Read the Readings for the Third Sunday of Advent:
First Reading // Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10
Psalm // Psalm 146:6-10
Second Reading // James 5:7-10
Gospel // Matthew 11:2-11
Live Liturgically // This Week’s Feast Days
Saturday, December 13 (today!) // Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr
Sunday, December 14 // Third Sunday of Advent
Susanna Spencer est titulaire d'une maîtrise en théologie de l'Université franciscaine de Steubenville et est l'éditrice théologique de Blessed is She. Elle vit avec son mari philosophe et ses quatre enfants à Saint Paul, Minnesota. Elle aime lire la théologie, assister à de belles liturgies, cuisiner de délicieux plats et suivre le baseball avec désinvolture. Elle était la narratrice de Maranatha, L'histoire de notre Sauveur et de notre livre pour enfants, Rise Up . En savoir plus sur elle ici .
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