Third Sunday of Advent

(Modified from a reflection originally written for my Church bulletin)

When I was young, every Sunday we would drive by a drugstore on the way to Mass. This was an old-fashioned drugstore in Cedar Grove.  It had large storefront windows on which were painted seasonal scenes and where sales were advertised. Inside the drugstore there was a food counter where you could eat a meal, have pie, ice cream and even a root-beer float.

Each Sunday we would check to see what had been drawn on the drugstore windows. The best day was always the Sunday we saw Santa Claus painted on one of the store’s large windows. It was our sign that Christmas was close and it brought joy to me, my brothers and my sisters.

Today the Catholic Church brings us joy. It has changed what we see. The vestments the clergy wear are not the normal advent purple but rose in color. We light the rose colored candle on our advent wreaths. Just as that drugstore changed the depictions on its windows to advertise a different season, today the Church is advertising joy! We hear the word “Rejoice” at the beginning of the Mass and rightly we should for the advent season is more than half over. Our preparation for the coming of the Lord will not be in vain. The Responsorial Psalm tells us that the Lord keeps faith forever.
Rejoice! God is sending us his saving Word.

Rejoice in the Lord (Bulletin Column 20141214)

"Rejoice in the Lord always” are the first words in our entrance antiphon. They are the very first words that are either recited or sung when the Mass begins. We rejoice because the Advent season is more than halfway over. We are closer to the birth of Christ. Advent is a season of joy to most of us. We have found the perfect gift for our loved ones. We have attended a few Christmas parties. Our houses have been decorated both inside and out. The Christmas Eve or Christmas day menu has been set. We wait in joyful anticipation of the beautiful Christmas Mass with its music that recalls the angels giving glory to God.

To recognize this joy the Church lights the pink candle on the Advent wreath and the clergy vestments are rose colored. The third Sunday of Advent or Gaudete Sunday should also remind us of what the Advent season is for. In just the action of lighting a pink candle we should be reminded of why purple vestments are worn and purple candles are light during the other weeks of the Advent season. Advent is like the Lenten Season, a penitential season. Advent is a time for us to remove any hindrance that will keep us from being in full communion with the Church when our Savior is born.

It is important that we be prepared for the birth of Christ. Recall that John the Baptist was crying out in the desert for all to repent and make straight the way of the Lord. John the Baptist understood that we must remove the distractions that keep us from growing closer to our God. When our earthly distractions begin to fall away we realize that our hope can only come from God. Advent gives us the opportunity to examine ourselves. We use the season to remove the things that give us false hope and distance us from God.

We read in Thessalonians that we are to “Pray without ceasing.” This does not mean we should always remain in a prayerful posture and never attend to those who cry out for our help. It means that everything we do should be done as a prayer being offered up to God. Recall how you pray in church; with reverence, sincerity and humility. Image if you did everything in this same way, as a form of a prayer being offered up to God. Your abilities are a gift from God so you would use your gifts with reverence. You would share your gifts with others in sincerity knowing that they are given to you by God's love for us. You did not earn these gifts; they are given to you freely from God so you would use them humility. Your actions can be prayers that glorify God.

The conclusion of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is a prayer. The part we read today is a wonderful Advent prayer to all of us.

May the God of peace make you perfectly holy

and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body,

be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May this Sunday’s change in liturgical color be your encouragement to continue the spiritual preparation for Christmas.