Sing with Joy; The Lord is Near: 3rd Sunday of Advent Reflection

In his letter to the Philippians, St Paul opens, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” He opens as we are just halfway to Bethlehem. The pink candle on the wreath will now be lit. Priests will break out the rose vestments for the first time since Lent as it will no longer be dark. Rather, there is a pink lining in the sky as the sun rises. The “O Antiphons” will be sung as we get closer to Christmas.

The third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday (Gaudete is Latin for Rejoice). Our culture may paint a different picture of what is happening in their lives or memories that try to suck the joy out of others. The prophet Zephaniah proclaimed in the first reading for Sunday, “Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has removed the judgment against you; he has turned away your enemies; the King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear!”

The time of the year can be stressful for many as to the gifts for family, friends, co-workers, or even loved ones. It can even be also nerve-wracking on how or where to celebrate the holiday.

Then, as someone who endured this twice, an appliance is broken and one must scramble to get ready or find someone willing to accommodate the plans. It can also be a time when we experience great sadnewss over the loss of a loved one, no job, or stricken by an illness.

St. Paul encourages all who are sad and anxious as Christmas draws closer and closer.  “The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

The 3rd Sunday of Advent reminds us to reshape our focus. Think of a football team that gets trounced in the first half of the game. The coach has to motivate them in the locker room to go out there and play harder. Meanwhile, he and his staff have to make adjustments that could make a difference between a comeback or coming up short or lopsided.

Some of us may need to make adjustments to finish the journey to Bethlehem strong. One of those ways is to ensure that we know what we are journeying towards.

Some questions that we can ask ourselves are:

Have I gone to Mass?

Have I gone to confession?

Did I give a toy to benefit a child hospitalized?

Have I given to my parish’s Advent giving tree?

What do I plan to do to keep Christ in Christmas?

These are the ways to help us to spiritually be ready for Christmas. While we may commercially get ready for the holiday, Christ wants us and all of us. He doesn’t care about the new gadget or popular gift of the year. He wants to forgive our sins, give us his love to be shared with others, and help us redeem a lost soul.

When we do his will on earth, our hearts will leap with joy.

Rejoice! He is near. Prepare your hearts.