Third Sunday of Advent —Gaudete Sunday
We have come to Gaudete ( Rejoice ) Sunday, and the prophets Isaiah and Zephaniah in their writings call the Anawim, ( a people humble and lowly) to rejoice in the Lord, sing and shout for joy, for God is in your midst. Zephaniah writes further, “ The Lord has removed the judgment against you and is in your midst, then comes the prophet’s image of God, “ God will rejoice over you with, gladness, and renew you in his love, and sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.” ( Zeph. 3: 17-18) This scene depicts God’s overflowing Love for all humankind, desiring deeper relationships in festival dance. This deepening relationship with God brings to mind, John 17: 20-21, where John writes,” I pray that they may all be one, as you Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, and that the world may believe that you sent me. “
To rejoice in the Lord always, we wait in anticipation for the coming of Christ in all the crevices of our hearts and souls with receptive confidence in God’s promises fulfilled. Joy is found in the Lord when we place our: trust in God’s love for us, a text from Br. Christophe’s journal resonates with me; I share with you,
“ With you, one must expect
Expect everything
Which could well be
Almost nothing at all
Great love
One must risk
Everything
In the smallest nothings
Of every
Day
Truly everything
Of you still remains
For me to live
Here today. 12/19/1995
The Lord is at hand; we earnestly pray to rely on Divine Providence not letting the anxieties of this world destabilize our joy and confidence in your love for us. I delight in the Good news of love that Mechtild of Magdeburg shares in her writing on “Of the Sevenfold Love of God” which I will read to encourage with hope in our current times:
True love of God has seven forms;
Joyful love walks in the way,
Timorous love accepts labor,
Strong love is eager to do great things,
Loving love asks no fame,
Wise love has knowledge,
Free love lives without sorrow of heart,
- Powerful love is ever joyful. (Part 2, p.39, Revelations of Mechtild of Magdeburg, 1210-1297)
Paul invites us “ to let the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” ( Phil. 4:7); a praying community will do everything possible to ensure peace and the good of all in union with Christ Jesus. To carry out this message, we need to remain steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and vigilant in prayer, thankful that our Savior has come and is in our midst.
John the Baptist calls all people to repentance and to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Lord. People ask, “What should we do?” John asks them to share their food, clothing, and necessary items for living, not extort money, and be content. Jesus is near.
Pope Francis teaches us what to do to experience the Joy of the Gospel, namely, “ To share God’s concern for the poorest among us, then Pope Francis invites us to dream of a world in which all people enjoy love, nutrition, education, healthcare, and dignified employment. Finally, the Pope urges us to grow in awareness of God in our midst, moving us to work for remedies to war, poverty, and violence, and a blunted consciousness regarding the pursuit of frivolous pleasures and a covetous heart.”
Let us rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice, For our Savior is in our midst!
Sr. Anne-Marie Buss, OCSO
