Understanding the Word

By Rev. James A. Wallace, C.Ss.R.

Certain watchwords are associated with each season of the church year, almost  becoming a motto. Advent’s is “Wake up.” It then leads to other words like  “Watch,” “Wait,” and “Witness.” But every Third Sunday of Advent, we anticipate  the coming Christmas season, whose key word is “Rejoice.” This Sunday was traditionally called Gaudete (“Rejoice”) Sunday. Priests continue to wear rose-colored  vestments today, signaling joy. 

Joy is not only for Christmastime and the occasional Sunday. I remember as an  altar boy, before Vatican II, Mass began with the “prayers at the foot of the altar.”  The priest would begin: “I will go up to the altar of God.” The server responded:  “To God who gives joy to my youth,” or as some translations had it, “To God, my  exceeding joy.” 

It was a reminder that God is the source of all joy and that joy is one of the  great gifts of God, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul reminds us that  “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (see Galatians 5:22). Now there is a good list for  Christmas giving. Tell your loved ones your Christmas gift this year will be to pray  throughout the coming year that the Spirit will bring them one of these gifts. 

John’s gift to the people who came out into the wilderness was to call them to  prepare for the Lord, to give them a sense of heightened anticipation that the  One coming to them would fill them with joy. 

Consider/Discuss

  • How do you think of joy? Is it the same as happiness? 
  • Do you recognize that the Spirit who dwells in us is the giver of joy?
  • Have you asked for this gift? 

Responding to the Word

Dear God, source and giver of joy, open my heart to receive your joy. As the  Advent season continues, help me to live in a spirit of anticipation and watchful ness for how Christ continues to come into the world, a spirit of joy rooted in the  awareness that you are faithful to your children. Amen.

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