Gaudete--Rejoice

The Third Sunday of Advent used to be called "Gaudete Sunday" because of the first words of the Introit, Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete! taken from St. Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians (5: 16). "Rejoice always, again I say, rejoice." Indeed the passage which serves as the second reading for today's Mass sums up the entire theme of Advent: be happy, be ecstatic because Emmanuel, God is with us! The exuberent Paul continues: "Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit." (I Thess 5: 19). In anticipation of the joy of Christ's presence among us to be duly celebrated at Christmas, the purple of Advent yields to rose, a step closer to the white of the Nativity. The third Advent candle and where possible, the celebrant's chasuble bear the rose-colored mark of rejoicing. Like children who "can't wait for Christmas morning" we want to jump ahead and get to it NOW!
Last evening I attended two Christmas events, yes in Advent, but in that anticipation described above. One was a huge, and I mean huge, party for the children of the Arlington Neighborhood, one densely populated by Latinos, mostly from the Domnincan Repbulic. The loudspeakers, turned up to the max, it seemed, fostered a great sense of excitement visibily present in the enthusiastic games played by the children. The pulse was definitely over the top. The second was an absolutely charming concert given by a dozen gifted singers in their twenties and thirties whose faces radiated the joy of Christmas as they sang not of Frosty or Rudolph, but of the Savior born in Bethlehem. It was so refreshing to hear these unfamiliar but beautiful songs telling and retelling the familiar Christmas story or describing the peace of Christmas, with no allusions to "Black Friday" or current mythological accretions. No, it was a spiritual oasis aptly in tune with Gaudete Sunday and a source of hope and joy to hear these men and women profess their faith in Jesus in so beautifully in harmony with each other, and obviously in harmony with Him! I pray with St. Paul for all: "May the God of peace make you pefectly holy and may you enterily, spirit, soul and body, be preserved blameless for the coin go four Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is Faithful, and he will also accomplish it." (1 Thess. 5: 24). Gaudete....Rejoice!