On December 15, the Catholic Church celebrated the third Sunday of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday. The Advent season is a time of anticipation and celebration, though at the same time, still of penitence. CatholicVote’s Kate O’Hare, offers a helpful explanation of Advent, and in particular of the rose (not pink, as many priests wearing rose-colored garments will remind you) colored candle. The picture above is also from her piece. Her piece is oh so appropriately titled, “Turning Pink With Joy On Gaudete Sunday,” by the way, and explains:
Advent and its counterpart, Lent, are seasons of penitence. On the Advent wreath, the three purple candles mark the preparation Christians undergo while awaiting the arrival of Christ on Earth.
Gaudete is Latin for “rejoice,” and indeed, the third week is a time for joy. Advent is halfway over, and Christmas is almost here! Catholics and Christians of denominations who commemorate Advent are not just mindful of celebrating Christ’s birthday, but of awaiting his return. CBN.com’s Lisa Robertson also speaks to this aspect of Adven, but also how God’s word applies to us, even today, as “He declared His plan to His prophets over the centuries and is fulfilling His Word even now.”
You may notice that the Christmas music at services is not so much the traditional kind you’ll hear on the radio. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is a popular hymn. “E’en So Lord Jesus Quickly Come” is actually a song for the Advent season as well.
Since Advent is around Christmas, you may be expecting to hear weekly Gospel readings coming from the book of Luke (the Gospel to reference the Christmas story in greatest detail) and telling of the birth of Jesus (it’s okay, I did too). That’s not exactly the case. But, that does not mean that the readings are of no less cause for joy or of great importance. The readings spoke to me in such amazing ways.
The Gospel reading for the First Sunday of Advent, Matt. 24:37-44, mentions that we “also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” The reading for the Second Sunday, Matt. 3:1-12, focuses on John the Baptist, who says that “but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.” And the Gospel reading from Sunday, Matt. 11:2-1, also references John the Baptist, but Jesus is speaking for part of it:
Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.
Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
Do you notice a theme? Advent is just as much about the Second Coming of Christ, if not more so, as it is about his birth. There is not just excitement with regards to the Christmas season, but in anticipating when Christ will come again.
And, just as the Gospel readings reference the Second Coming of Christ, so do the first readings reference the prophecy of His birth. We hear particularly from the Prophet Isaiah, with an especially mindful text coming from 11:1-10:
On that day, the root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
the Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.
I certainly felt the joy of Gaudete Sunday as I attended the Saturday vigil service at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, in Washington, DC. To paraphrase the priest’s homily, the one thing he wanted us to take out of what he said was that Christ enables us to be by grace, what He is by nature. Wow! So in celebrating Advent, we can also celebrate the saving and healing power of Christ, and what it means for each and every one of us, in this world of 7 billion people. Another worthwhile point of an Advent homily is that what we take away from these readings are as real and as relevant now as they were at the time of Christ’s birth, and even before he first came into the world.
As is common in the Catholic tradition during the season of Lent, many attend reconciliation services, to confess and seek forgiveness for their sins. This is done to better prepare for welcoming Christ into our hearts. St. Matthew’s is doing such a service on Tuesday, December 17. Reconciliation need not be a daunting process, and rather can provide a sense of comfort and relief, which the Church knows and tries to communicate. Tuesday’s service is appropriately titled “Come Home for Christmas.”
Gaudete Sunday may be a special week of Advent to remind us that Advent is halfway over. Let us be mindful all season long and all year long though why it is as that we are so joyful, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and look forward to Him coming again.
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