Third Sunday of Advent
Sunday, December 13, 2020
Reflection by: Fr. Alberto Bueno, T.O.R.
Third Sunday of Advent
“Gaudete”, from the Latin gaudere which means “to rejoice”, is the first word in the Entrance Antiphon for this Sunday’s Mass. The Third Sunday of Advent has traditionally been called Gaudete Sunday because of this. Notice that the day is marked different from the other Advent days. The rose candle on the Advent wreath is lit, the priest may be wearing rose vestments, and we may even have some flowers in the sanctuary. All this is to call attention that the season is past its halfway point; the day of the Lord is nearer now than it was when Advent began, a reason to rejoice!
The Scriptures also call us to rejoice. Isaiah tells us, “rejoice heartily in the Lord,” Paul calls us to, “rejoice always”. The Gospel of Saint John, presenting us with John the Baptist, sets the scene for us. He is coming soon! “There is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me,” with these words John the Baptist tells us that He is present, though not recognized, because the time of His revelation is coming soon. As John says that he is preparing the way of the Lord, so too we must continue to prepare for His coming, continue with our Advent mission to make a place for Jesus in our hearts, our lives, our world.
As Christmas approaches, we are reminded to rejoice. The Incarnation was, and continues to be, a beautiful gift from the Father. Prepare; “make straight the way of the Lord.”
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