The third Sunday of Advent bears the hopeful title “Gaudete,” which means “Rejoice, for the great feast of the Lord’s arrival is close at hand.” Fittingly, the readings and the Gospel for today’s Holy Mass were chosen to complement one another. In Isaiah 35:1, we read: “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom.” Yes, the desert of this world will bloom magnificently if we water it with our love. Precisely this love that we have received from God and are called to pass on. Saint John of the Cross wrote about the lack of love: “Sow love and you will reap love.” This is the perfect announcement of the coming of the Son of God. “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Later, Jesus will say of himself: “I am gentle and humble of heart” (Matt. 11:29).

The True Wealth

Since the beginning of the article, we have been speaking of love, yet the title mentions “true wealth.” Why? The true, divine wealth of God consists not in possessing, but in the ability to love. Many saints have come to this realization, including John Paul II and Escrivá. And with this, we turn our gaze to the Gospel of the day. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces” (Matt. 11:2-11). These words come from Jesus, and he is speaking of John the Baptist. Here, allow me an application of the text to Jesus himself. In the manger in Bethlehem, we will encounter a poor family: the father a craftsman, the mother a housewife, and a newborn in a manger. It smells of poverty. Really? Yes, of poverty if we define it as a lack of money. But no. In this stable, which by human standards is wretched, there is wealth in abundance—the wealth of love. This stable shines in the dark night as bright as day. The love of God shines brighter than the sun and illuminates not only the stable in Bethlehem but the entire world.

The Chair of Jesus Christ

Jesus has transformed this old, dirty manger into a chair from which he preaches to us. His language is simple and revolutionary at the same time. He, the Son of the Almighty, the Creator of the world who owns everything and has created everything, chooses to come into the world under poor conditions. In doing so, he turns the established order of this world upside down. He transforms the conventional power of money into the power of love, which can change everything. Later, in his sermons, he will proclaim this teaching especially to the Pharisees, causing unrest.

Surrendering to God

Jesus will take up the profession of his father, Joseph, and provide for the family’s livelihood—initially together with his father, later alone—and thus care for his mother. But he will always remain “short of cash.” Later, for three years, he will live as an itinerant preacher, a dropout, and homeless. And yet, he will be regarded as an esteemed guest by all the great ones of his time. How fascinating his personality must have been!

The confessor of Margaret Mary Alacoque, Claude de la Colombière, wrote the book “Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence: The Secret of Peace and Happiness.” This was precisely the life of Jesus on earth. He came into the world as a needy child. He surrendered himself to Father Joseph and Mother Mary. And he fared well in doing so. God the Father, in his loving providence, had chosen and prepared the best people for this role.

And We?

Are we already at the point where we want to welcome Jesus into our hearts? He comes to us as a baby, like every helpless newborn. What do we say to him? I do not know you. Or rather: Dear Jesus, I welcome you into my home; be part of my life. Illuminate my life, which has been dark until now. I want to begin a new life with you. Place you at the center of my thoughts and actions. And out of love for you, I will love my fellow human beings. Escrivá, when asked why he loved people so intensely, replied: “I see the blood of Christ flowing in your veins.” Yes, love for neighbor is a consequence, an overflow of the love we have received from God.

The Wealth of Poverty

Pope Leo XIV published the apostolic exhortation “Dilexi te” on love for the poor on October 4. Jesus came into the world poor. Mother Teresa saw Jesus in the poorest of the poor. Do we do the same? No? Understandable. We live in a world where money rules, and those who lack it are considered failures. Then Jesus, the Son of the Creator of the world, would have been a failure—and indeed, he was treated as such by Herod and Pilate. Do we treat him the same way?

From his chair in the manger of Bethlehem, Jesus, the Son of God, Emmanuel, proclaims a new teaching. It is up to us to accept or reject this teaching. I pray for you, dear reader, that you too may belong to those who welcome Christ’s teaching and integrate it into their lives.

Let us conclude the article with the song we sang today in the service on Gaudete Sunday: “Daughter of Zion, rejoice, shout aloud, Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you; yes, he comes, the Prince of Peace.” (Gotteslob 228:1).

Happy Feast!

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The Author

Dr.-Ing. Karl-Maria de Molina studied engineering, philosophy, and theology, and earned his doctorate in vehicle technology. He has written and edited books on automotive technology and work methodology, as well as on work culture and competence development. He holds several teaching positions at German universities; conducts seminars on leadership development; has founded several companies and developed and marketed innovative products.

The necessary knowledge for this series of articles was acquired by the author through the study of philosophy and theology, daily reading of the Gospel and spiritual books, as well as daily attendance at the Eucharist.