Third Sunday in Advent

Why the pink candle and vestments today?

Well, first of all - we refer to today's color as "rose."  One priest explained a way to remember this is to ask what Jesus did on Easter Sunday - did He "rise" or did He "pink." Obviously we say He "rose" from the dead, victorious over death - a joyous occasion!  That's the REAL meaning behind the rose colored candle and vestments.  Today is Guadete Sunday, or Joyful Sunday. We are joyful that Advent is nearly over and it will soon be the start of the Christmas Season!

Keep in mind, Advent is a penitent season, much like Lent. This is a season of meditation and making straight the way of the Lord in our lives.  Prepare ye the way of the Lord!

A song I fondly recall from my youth is "Rejoice in the Lord Always (and again I say Rejoice!), is taken straight from the readings of today's Mass, Philippians 4:4 - (click on video below)...

Tomorrow starts the final countdown to the end of Advent with the O Antiphons. The O Antiphons are actually sung through the Advent song of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." See video below...

May your Advent Season draw to a glorious - and JOYFUL - close!!  It's almost time to ring in the Christ Mass!

Third Sunday in Advent

Gaudete Sunday - "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!"

All the readings can be found here, but I wanted to focus on St. Paul's words for today...

EPISTLE Philipp. 4:4-7Brethren: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety, but in every prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God. And may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

When St. Paul was writing to the Philippians, he was in prison.  He had every reason to be down or depressed, but his words to the Church at Philippi are to REJOICE!  The lesson for us here is simple, we are to rejoice in the Lord - not only when things are going well, but even when - and especially when - things are not going so well.  Have no anxiety, but be full of thanksgiving - at ALL times!  

So here is your challenge for the rest of Advent, and hey, for the rest of your life!  Let the world see your moderation, your calm and collective nature - and let them see God working in your life.

Just one additional note... today we did not light the "pink" candle!  The priest is not wearing "pink" vestments, nor are the alter vestments "pink!"  Liturgically speaking, it's "rose!"  Yes, you will find sites, even Catholic sites, calling it "pink," but it is really a subdued "rose" color - to signify "joy" - which is also the name of this Sunday, "Joyful" or "Gaudete" Sunday.  During this season of Advent - which, contrary to commercial propaganda, is a time of penance (like Lent).  However, on the Third Sunday of Advent, we look eagerly for the coming of the Lord and we rejoice in His coming.  Lent too has Laetare Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Lent (midway through the penitential season of Lent), and Laetare also means "joy," and thus the for the same reason - a break from penance and a turn toward "joy" exists during both seasons.

OK, one final remark...  it's NOT CHRISTMAS YET!  I wish you all reading this a Blessed Advent!  I will reserve the "Merry Christmas" greeting for after the celebration of the Christ Mass.

Gaude Sunday, Third Sunday of Advent

Similar to the Lenten season's Lautare Sunday, Gaude Sunday is "Joyful" during our Advent time of penance and anticipation.  The joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8:10) and this Sunday and week of Advent we look to that strength and joy with confidence in the coming of our Lord and Savior.  We light the third candle, the pink one, with joy in our hearts.  Again, Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of the Lord.  We celebrate the culmination of Advent in the Christ Mass and at the same time our readings and teachings are about the Second Coming of Christ.  Let us not lose sight of the true meaning of Christ Mass.

Jesus Christ came to us in a manger and just before He died on the Cross for our sins, He gave us the Mass.

Jesus Christ comes to us still, in every valid Mass.

Jesus Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.

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Laetare Sunday

The Fourth Sunday in Lent is called "Laetare Sunday" coming from the first words of the Introit in the Mass.  Laetare means "joyful" in Latin.  The vestments are rose (pink), like on Gaudete (which similarly means "rejoice").  

The Twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Today our priest's sermon was on the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, and he focused upon the "joyful" aspect.   The twelve Fruits of the Holy Spirit are charity (or love), joy, peace, patience, benignity (or kindness), goodness, longanimity (or long suffering), mildness, faith, modesty, continency, and chastity. 

First of all, we must consider what a "fruit" is.  A fruit is something which comes from something else.  For example, the orange tree preexists the orange, which is the fruit of the orange tree.  The Holy Spirit is what precedes the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, obviously but an important factor to contemplate here is in order for a tree to produce fruit, it must be cultivated.  In order for the Holy Spirit to produce fruit in a person there must be cultivation and growth of the Holy Spirit within that person.  Baptism infuses Sanctifying Grace (the Holy Spirit) into a person - but if nothing is done to cultivate the Holy Spirit within that person, then there will never be any fruit. 

Charity/Love comes first.  If we have charity/love then we will have joy.  Joy brings peace.  Peace brings patience and so on.  And here on Laetare Sunday we are focused on joyfulness.  God is love, and when we are thinking on God - we are brought into joyfulness, for love brings joy.  When we think of anyone we love, we attain the fruit of joy.  If your memory is on a lost loved one - focus your attention on the joy that person brought you - and that fruit is yours!

This sermon helped me greatly in thinking on my daughter, who passed away on February 6th this year.  She truly brought much joy into our lives.  I thank the Lord for this sermon today - it was just what I needed to hear.