The Third Sunday of Advent is
transitionally referred to as “Gaudete Sunday”. The name comes from the first
word spoken in the liturgy for this day, in the Entrance Antiphon: (Gaudete in Latin): Rejoice in the Lord
always: again, I say rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.
There is a similar theme that
recurs in Lent, in the fourth Sunday of Lent, traditionally called “Laetare
Sunday” again taken from the first word of the entrance antiphon: (Laetare in Latin) Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all
you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may
exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation.
The first words of the third
Sunday of Advent are the words of St. Paul found in the fourth chapter of the
Letter to the Philippians, vs. 4-5.
So why Gaudete, why Rejoice?
The answer begins in the First Reading, with the words of the prophet
Zephaniah.
Israel has been conquered and
its people have been living in exile for many years. But now the prophets are telling
the people that soon their exile will come to an end, and they will be
returning to their homeland. They believed that God was punishing them for
their sins by letting their enemies conquer and enslave them. But now, what is
this they hear?
Believers of every generation, at various times, have found their
hearts and hope shattered; believing they have been abandoned by God, left
alone with no hope. So, the Church returns each year in Advent, to address this
ancient problem, the Problem of Evil,
to gather all who are wounded, to hear once again these words of truth and
healing and restoration: “Rejoice, the
Lord is near”!
You will notice that all the serious Christmas
stories that we read all have this same theme running through them. In the
darkest night, when all seems lost, hope is restored.
Now the true spirit of Advent
has a penitential character to it,
where we examine our lives to root out our own causes for our downfalls and
miseries. Then, the candle of the Advent Wreath, lighted on this day, the Third
Sunday of Advent, rose colored, with the name “Joy”, raises up our spirits at
the prospect of the new coming of mercy
into our lives.
In many ways, our popular
culture, with its commercializing of Christmas has interfered with the real
spirit of Advent with its rich and beautiful spirituality.
So where does this Gaudete
Sunday find you? Are you one who is carrying heavy burdens – be they burdens
brought on by your own faults and failures, or has human frailty and the faults
of others beset you? If so, the grace offered on this Sunday is meant for
you.
The Grace of Gaudete Sunday is
the grace of a clear sense of Presence. I am not alone, the Lord is here, with
me now. The Lord comes bearing gifts, the gift is the gift of Hope. What ever
the details of my deliverance are to be, will be revealed in the days to come.
But first, a broken heart must be healed and given the eyes of hopefulness with
which to see - to begin to see how the Lord's plan is to unfold. For me, now,
it is to turn my face eastward, to look forward in hope for His coming.
Hear again these words of the
prophet:
The Lord, your God, is in your
midst, . . . he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his
love
|
.
ADVENT SERIES WEEK THREE
|
||
 |
 |
 |
.
No comments:
Post a Comment