This third Sunday is called in Latin "Gaudete" which means joy for the promise of redemption, which is a great Jubilee Sunday. Today's readings lead us to ask ourselves: What makes us really happy? It makes us happy to relate to God. The greatest relationship we can have is that which brings us that great joy in our lives and can not be other than our relationship with Jesus. True happiness comes from that encounter with God. That is why in relating to others we do so from the deepest foundations we have as a result of our relationship with the Lord. People can only truly love when they see God in each other. When the relationship does not have the presence of God, it is superficial.
The people saw the presence of God in John the Baptist. They were attracted to him, despite how strong he was in proclaiming the truth. Maybe it was what fascinated them and it was what lit their hearts in fire. They found God in John the Baptist.
Who are they going to see? It is the question of Jesus in today's gospel. "The cane that moves with the wind?" Or in our terms the politician who changes his position with each election according to the conveniences that arise. No, people go out to listen to the prophet and from there have an experience of God. John called people to a radical change in their lives but also called them to get closer and closer to God. They made sense of his words. They experienced God in the radical words of the prophet. That is why they threw themselves into the water to be baptized by John in order to have what he had. They wanted to have God. They wanted true happiness.
We have something bigger than John the Baptist. We have Jesus Christ. Why are we attracted to Christ? We are attracted to Christ because the encounter with God burns within us. We are attracted to him because we know that his love is real for us and is forever. We are attracted to Christ because he gives us that happiness that does not end.