The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me;
He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners,

Isaiah 61: 1

Then, who are you?

What is your full name? How did your parents come up with it? Or what is your nickname? How did you get that?
The theme/point of this third Sunday of Advent readings is ‘our identity.’  Our ID is what you allow (the spirit) to dwell with you.
The readings will actually take this further and say: our ID is other people.

We tend to limit our ID to our first name or family name; often times we assume it is our status, wealth, academic qualifications, 
title or the ‘things’ or number of ‘things’ I possess/own or I am the ‘image I portray’ (especially on social media).  But is this true?  Is this enough?  For the believer/Christian there is more to our ID.  Our ID is best defined by those for whom we live to serve, the spirit with which we ‘live for others’ — this is our joy and our ID (or is it?).

Isaiah, in the first reading, is filled with rejoicing; Why?  Because of the spirit of the Lord that is upon (dwells in) him.  It is a spirit that ‘sends’ (moves) him out of himself to others: to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, to release prisoners, to bring a year of favor.  What defines this ancient bearer of glad tidings is ‘his in-dwelling spirit’ and what he brings to others.  A prophet ‘exists’ for others and the Other (God).

How often in our lives do we, too, actually know what kind of spirit we must bring to others, others’ situations or dilemmas and questions, or the world’s/society’s brokenness, the need for ‘Good News,’ or healing/release?  We see it, but do we choose to keep the door closed? Do we intentionally hesitate to be bearers of Glad Tidings?

The establishment, the status quo of John the Baptist’s time is totally confused about who he is.  They cannot figure him out. He is nothing like the aristocratic priestly/prophetic class of the time, which everybody could recognize by their known lifestyle.  An high powered delegation is sent to investigate and ask him: who are you? (Pontius Pilate asks this same question of Jesus when he is brought before him.) Are you a prophet?  Are you the messiah?  Are you Elijah?  To all these he answers: No!  They insist, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?  This strange voice lives reclusively in the desert.  He feeds on locusts and honey, clad in camel skin, yet many flock to hear his word of truth and they are ‘converted.’  John then says who he is: a witness—one who gives testimony to the light.  John is but only a ‘herald’ of one who is among you, but you do not recognize yet. The identity of John is what he does for others.

On this Gaudete Sunday, we Christians are challenged to rediscover our identity.  Are you a Christian?  Are you Catholic?  What really makes you Catholic?  We are not Catholic merely by name; no! We are not Christian just because we wear a cross or get our children to receive the sacraments (which is very good).  We are not Christians because of just what we say we profess.  To be Christian is to ‘live in a Christian way’.  It means allowing the Spirit of Christ to ‘show’ in our manner of life.  It means removing what 'separates people' by our actions and lifestyle.  It means the spirit by which we live our lives, brings joy or exudes joy for others.

‘By our lives’ they will know we are Christians.

— Father Anthony