The Rose Color Candle Burns Brightly for Those Who Weep

The Rose Color Candle Burns Brightly for Those Who Weep

Dec. 11, 2011 3rd Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 61: 1-2, 10-11       I Thessalonians 5:16-24    John 1:6-8,19-23 

Rejoice always

Brothers and sisters: Rejoice always. Pray at all times. Be thankful in all circumstances . This is what God wants of you, in your life in Christ Jesus. Do not  restrain the Holy Spirit; do not despise inspired messages. Put all things to the test: keep what is good, and avoid evil of every kind.

May the God who gives us peace make you holy in every way, and keep your whole being (spirit, soul, and body) free from  all fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you will do it, because He is faithful

The word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Alleluia, alleluia.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Glory to you, Lord.

A man named John was sent from God. He came to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.  And this is the testimony of John. When the Jewish authorities from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to  ask John whether he claimed to be the Messiah, he denied it flatly. “I am not the Christ,” he  said.“Well, then,  who are you,” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,”  he  replied. “Are you the Prophet?” “No.” “Then who are you? Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?" John answered: "I am the voice of one  in the desert, shouting as Isaiah prophesied, `Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Introduction

Gaudete Sunday

Today, Sunday December 11, is the 3^rd  Sunday of Advent and is called Gaudete Sunday, because the opening words of the old Latin Mass for this Sunday was ”Gaudete!” “Rejoice!” Then this coming Friday, December 17, Late Advent or the Novena of Christmas begins. Before we know it, it’ll be Christmas Day.

3^rd Sunday of Advent – the note of joy

The readings at Mass on the 3^rd  Sunday of Advent  in all three liturgical cycles of A, B and C  strike the note of joy. In last year’s cycle A, the prophet Isaiah promises that, “The desert will rejoice and flowers will bloom in the wastelands.” (Is 35:1) In next year’s cycle C, the prophet Zephaniah exhorts the people to, "Rejoice, exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem!”(Zeph. 3:14)  In this year’s cycle B,  St. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians in the second reading to, “Rejoice always. Pray at all times. Be thankful in all circumstances.” (I Thess 5:16-18)

The opening verse (called the Introit) of the old Latin Mass for the 3^rd  Sunday of Advent was Paul’s command to the Philippians: “Gaudete in Domino semper! Iterum dico gaudete! Dominus enim prope est! “Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I say rejoice! For the Lord is near.” (Phil. 4:4-5) Because of that opening verse,  the 3^rd Sunday of Advent was  called Gaudete Sunday. And, the  3^rd candle on the Advent wreathe was rose color (instead of penitential purple), because rose is the color of joy.

In the old  days, however, when Advent was heavily penitential like Lent, we were rejoicing on the 3^rd Sunday of Advent not so much because “the Lord was near,” but because Christmas Eve had finally arrived. The penance of Advent was finally over, and we  at last were enjoying the glories and goodies of the Christmas season. 

A command to rejoice?

Gaudete is the command form of the Latin verb to rejoice. The 3^rd Sunday of Advent, with its rose color candle burning brightly commands us to rejoice. What in the world does a command to rejoice  mean? When things are going along really well, no one needs to be commanded to rejoice; that comes automatically and easily.

On the other hand, when things are going along really badly, how in the world can one be commanded to rejoice? How can one be commanded to rejoice when he has just received a very chilling verdict of cancer from his doctor? How can my dear friend Mary be commanded to rejoice, when she has just lost her very beloved partner Bill of 55 years? How can one be commanded to  rejoice, when he has just made a terribly irretrievable mistake  or has just been  plunged into deep grief by some senseless tragedy? How can one  be commanded to rejoice at this Christmas  season, when he is one of the 8.6 percent unemployed? Yes even this: how can one be commanded to rejoice, when he has had to put down his beloved dog – that creature which showed an unconditional love --  of which very few humans are capable.

Rejoice! - a command to the unfortunate

Strange to say, the Gaudete command (the rejoice command) of the 3^rd Sunday of Advent is addressed precisely to those for whom things are going very poorly. It’s not addressed to those who are blessed with good luck, good health, faithful friends, and sufficient means for comfortable living. Such fortunate people need no command to rejoice. It’s the unfortunate who need the Gaudete command. It was  to refugees crammed into a slum district of Jerusalem that the prophet Zephaniah gave the command to,

Sing and shout for joy, people of Israel!

Rejoice with all your heart, Jerusalem!
(Zeph 3:14)

Similarly, it was Paul sitting in prison and bound with chains, who commanded the Philippians to ”Rejoice in the Lord always.” (Phil 4:4)  Paul was especially commanding himself to rejoice. Considering his prison situation, that command, indeed was a mystical utterance.

Fr. Delp’s mystical experience on Gaudete Sunday

Fr. Alfred Delp S. J., also sitting in prison and bound in chains (and eventually executed by Hitler on February 2, 1945),  was also in a mystical experience when wrote in his prison diary for Gaudete Sunday, 1944:

Is it possible to rejoice in a prison cell (a space of three paces in each direction)? Is it possible to rejoice when your hands are fettered, and your heart is overwhelmed with longings, and your head is filled with problems and worries? Yes, happiness can happen even under these circumstances. I tell you every now and then my heart can scarcely contain the delirious joy that's in it. Suddenly, not knowing why, my spirits soar and there is no doubt in my mind that all the promises hold good. But not always. Sometimes it is due to a wonderful premonition of wonderful things to come. (Prison Meditations )

Conclusion

Rose color candle burning brightly for them

Christmas is sometimes characterized as “ the happiest time of the year.” We should sensitize ourselves, however, to the fact that for many it is the saddest time of the year. The Gaudete command and the rose color candle burning brightly on the 3^rd  Sunday of Advent is not primarily for those who are in a great celebratory mood and are riding high. They need no command to rejoice. The rose color candle does not burn  primarily for them.

For those who have received a chilling report from their doctor, or who have lost a beloved and lifelong partner, or who have had to put down man’s best friend, or who have no paycheck to buy the simple joys of Christmas –for them this is the saddest time of the year. And, strange to say, the Gaudete command of this 3^rd Sunday of Advent  is first and foremost  for them. And the rose color candle of the Advent wreath is burning brightly for them.