On the third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word meaning “Rejoice,” is the first word of the introit of this day’s Mass proclaiming the theme of this weekend, one of hope-filled joy calling us to sing aloud the proclamation of Jesus Christ. The Introit (Introitus) of the Mass is the fragment of a psalm with its antiphon sung while the celebrant and ministers enter the church and approach the altar.

On this joyful Sunday, the Church changes the color of the liturgy from purple to rose for the vestments, the altar cloths, candles and more. Flowers are once again permitted in the sanctuary, and our music takes on a more upbeat tone as opposed to the rest of Advent. And while we are still in season of penitence, we are also called to rejoice not only for the Incarnation of Jesus Christ but also at His Second Coming. Some may ask, “rejoice at the Second Coming?” But yes, we who are believers are called to rejoice at His Resurrection and His coming gift of life eternal, the True gift of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem.

The Joy of Gaudete Sunday is a special Joy, which is one comprised of the Hope of the promises
of God in Christ, that is Salvation, and it is a Joy that comes from our openness to His transformative power—a power to renew and restore us; a power to forgive, and to heal and to make us One with Him.

Our readings this weekend each speak to the Joy of the Christ Child—the Incarnation; the Joy of the life of Jesus Christ as He walked the earth and preached, taught and healed; and, the Joy of the His renewing and transformative power, which will make us His true disciples and prepare us for the Homecoming of homecomings.

In the first reading from Zephaniah, we are called to “Sing, O Daughter of Zion, shout aloud,
Israel! Daughter Jerusalem.” We understand that the Lord takes away our punishment; He turns back our enemies, He is with us on the journey, that we are given the knowledge to not fear the resurrection. The prophet tells us that the Lord our God will remove those who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals…which is a burden…that mourning is not part of His plan. This passage encourages believers to rejoice in God’s presence (for He is not distant from us) and mercy. For Catholics, JOY is a significant theme of Advent, particularly as it prepares the faithful for the celebration of Christmas, which is wrapped in our hoped-for eternal life.

In our second reading from Paul to the Philippians, we hear of key Advent themes: Gentleness
and witness, trust and prayer, peace, and hope. One might refer to these as divine attributes of God, and we are given clear and relevant expressions of these attributes through the lived, human life of Christ. Jesus was gentle and a witness to the Father; He trusted in the plan of God and prayed always and everywhere to the Father; Christ is the Prince of Peace, a peace that is beyond all telling and one that heals our wounds of the hectic world around us with a lasting, absolute and abiding peace; and, Christ is the Hope of the gift of renewal and restoration—eternal life.

The Lukan Gospel again affirms themes of Baptism, repentance, social justice and the coming of the Messiah. We hear that one mightier the John the Baptist will come and He will baptize by fire and the Holy Spirit; that repentance is more than simply sorrow for our sinfulness but has a proactive element of change, the dimension of renewal and restoration for the
gift of Eternal Life; and, the Coming of the Messiah is the end result of our Hope in God, which
enables faith, a love of and for God, to enable a disciple to live the life of Jesus in the here-and-now, producing the all-important dividend: Life with God in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now that is something to Rejoice! about!!!

Happy and Blessed Gaudete Sunday!