It's Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday!
Light the third (rose-colored) candle on your Advent wreath. On Gaudete Sunday,
the season of Advent shifts its focus. For the first two weeks of Advent,
the focus can be summed up in the phrase, "The Lord is coming."
But beginning with Gaudete Sunday, the summary might be, "The Lord is near."
This shift is marked by a lighter mood and a heightened sense of joyous
anticipation. Liturgically, the colors lighten as well. The priest usually
wears rose-colored vestments, a hue seen only on Gaudete Sunday
and Laetare Sunday.
In times when the focus of our anticipation is often on the negative and fearful,
this celebration is a reminder that God who loves us is still in charge and t
hat we await his coming not with fear, but with tremendous joy.
Reflect on today's Gospel; another version of the story of St. John the Baptist
as the precursor of Jesus. He faces the questions of priests and Levites
with the truth: there is one among you whom you do not recognize.*
On this weekend, many parishes hold the national collection for the
Retirement Fund for Religious. Please be generous when asked to
give in your parish
It is a fitting day to remember retired religious and all the elderly in
prayer with these intercesssions:
For senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests, that they may enjoy dignified
care in their elder years as they continue to devote their lives to prayer and service;
Let us pray to the Lord. R/. Lord, hear our prayer.
For all the elderly in our nation, that they may be treated with respect and compassion and
that we as a society may more fully embrace their gifts of wisdom and grace;
Let us pray to the Lord; R/. Lord, hear our prayer.
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