  St Alban’s Episcopal Church Bolivar, Missouri Thursday, December 9, 2021 Third Sunday of Advent Gaudete in Domino semper Rejoice in the Lord always  Gaudete – “Rejoice!” When the Advent season was more commonly kept as a time of penitence, similar to Lent, more than as a season of expectation, the third Sunday’s readings shifted the mood. It still does – it lets us see ahead to the end of the story that culminates in joy. The purple, color of both royalty and repentance, is suspended on this day and the vestments and altar hangings are literally “lightened” to rose – which symbolizes joy. But why joy? Why “rejoice?” Because the first reading of the day in the old Latin liturgy was what we have this Sunday as our Epistle reading: “Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete!” Rejoice in the Lord always: I say again, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus.  No matter how terrible things are, or ever have been, the Church has not even once decided, “It’s all too bad. No Gaudete Sunday this year,” but insists year after year: “Rejoice in the Lord.” And that little phrase, “in the Lord,” matters. It is not a command to feel exceedingly glad when we are depressed, or broke, or sick and frightened, or in the fifth month of morning sickness, or when the political and societal world seems broken and dangerous. Or when we feel our own helplessness to change anything. No. Grief remains. And sorrow. And sometimes fear. It is an invitation, repeated for emphasis, to acknowledge all of that and yet, to “rejoice in the Lord.” Why? Because we know that God loves us, and rejoices over us with joy. God loves. Fully. “Let us sing, then, with all our hearts, and not just on Gaudete Sunday, but always; and let us dance under the wreath of eternity, that all joy is in God…” Mother Mary Francis pcc, Come, Lord Jesus, page 119 |
Categories:
Tags:
No responses yet