Gaudete Sunday
Certain Sundays throughout the liturgical year have taken their name from the first word in Latin of the Introit (the entrance antiphon at Mass). Gaudete Sunday is one of these. It is the Third Sunday of Advent. The Introit on this day, in both the current "novus ordo" Mass and the older, Traditional Latin Mass, is taken from Phillippians 4:4,5: "Gaudete in Domino semper" ("Rejoice in the Lord always").
Like Lent, Advent is a penitential season, so the priest normally wears purple vestments. But on Gaudete Sunday, having passed the mid-point of Advent, the Church lightens the mood a little, and the priest pulls out the "twice-a-year" Rose colored vestments. The change in color provides us with encouragement to continue our spiritual preparation - especially prayer and fasting - for Christmas.
For this same reason, the third candle of the Advent wreath, first lit today, is the Rose colored candle. (Many, not understanding the origin of the rose, or pink, candle mistakenly light the pink candle of the 4th Sunday - but it is lit on the 3rd Sunday of Advent).
Today is the day on which the Church reminds us to "rejoice always." It is possible for us to rejoice - even when things are difficult. Saint Paul makes clear that our reason to rejoice is not because things are going well or because I have everything I want or because everything is going well. The reason for us to rejoice is because, "The Lord is near." If the Lord is near to our lives, then we can find reasons to rejoice, even in struggle and difficulty and trials. This is the key to our Christian lives and to being happy: if Christ is near, then we have reason to rejoice. If Christ is far from us, then we have reason to be sad. Draw close to the Lord once again, and you'll find the reason for our joy!
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