“Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete” which in English means “Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say rejoice.” You heard these words, from Philippians, in our Call to Worship today, and they are also the words of the introit for the Roman Catholic Latin mass for this Sunday. As you may have guessed, today is Gaudete Sunday, which is marked on our Advent wreath by the rose candle.
Rose, in Church tradition, is the colour of great joy, and since the early days of the Church, there have been only two rose Sundays in the liturgical year. One of those is in Lent, and we often call it Mothering Sunday, or Laetare Sunday. The Rose Sunday in Advent, which we celebrate today, is Gaudete – Rejoice Sunday. Both Sundays represent a lessening of the disciplines of penitential seasons.
And what is a penitential season? In the Congregational Church we don’t really talk about such things, though we do recognize Lent as a time for taking a closer look at our lives and the places where we have disappointed God. We know we are meant to be sorry for such actions and to observe a season of penance before Jesus’ sacrifice for us on Good Friday, and our salvation gloriously made known in His resurrection on Easter Sunday.
But why would Advent also be a penitential season? Though the disciplines of Advent have been lightened over the centuries, it is another time of preparation for the salvation of God, for God’s birth among us as the baby in the manger. Thus, we prepare with another Penitential Season, another time to recollect and ask God to forgive us for disappointing Him. But - so much self-examination and penance, ongoing for weeks on end, needs a time of respite, and so Lent and Advent are eased by the Rose Sundays. Gaudete – Rejoice!
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners
That is certainly joyful news, and the text of the First Lesson is often called “Glad Tidings to the Lowly”. As the reading progresses the Lord proclaims, through His prophet, that there will be salvation for the righteous. I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. There will be justice. There will be peace, and our Gospel sets us up for its arriving.
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.”
The people who surrender to God’s will are humble, obedient, and sometimes even a little strange. Last week, the Gospel described for us John’s appearance, “Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.” A little strange indeed. But - in this week’s Gospel, we see a different aspect of the man, a glimpse of his interior self, of his knowledge of himself and of God.
The salvation promised in Isaiah is already present in Jesus, but is, as yet, unrevealed. Now, John has been sent from God to prepare the Jews for that revelation – while the Jews, the people of the city, have sent the priests and Levites out to find out what this wild man is about.
John is baptizing, and to baptize, is an action reserved for only a few. These learned and high ranking Jews, sent by the people, are there to question John, to test him. “Who are you?” they ask, and John knows exactly what they’re getting at. “He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’”
This was John’s big chance to claim for himself all the glory. He could easily have had his fifteen minutes of fame and then some. Certainly there are plenty of people who’ve come after him, even in our own modern times, who are only too willing to claim for themselves all kinds of undeserved honours, and even a few who rather enjoy being thought of as the messiah. But though he’s given ample opportunity, John consistently denies that he is anyone of importance.
Rather, he is “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.” And how does one make that way straight? This is done through repentance, which is one reason Advent is considered a penitential season.
But getting back to John the Baptist, his statement sounds very lonely. He is only one, in a vast emptiness, crying out - what? - a warning, a request, an order? Perhaps John doesn’t even know for certain, but it doesn’t matter to him at all. He’s not in control of the situation, nor does he want to be, he is following God’s Will, doing what God wants him to do.
How many of us stress out over any number of things? The pre-Christmas season is often riddled with anxiety, as we try to send cards, buy and ship gifts, and generally make sure everything is ready – for what? Are we really preparing for the Christ Child, or are we merely absorbed with worldly plans, taking time to ensure that everyone is happy with what we have accomplished? Are we following God’s will – preparing for the Lord? Is it all about Jesus, or all about us?
Do you recall Paul’s exhortation – pray without ceasing? That doesn’t mean to pray for a huge sale at Best Buy, or more time to get the cards and presents in the mail. While we probably do both of those, when we pray without ceasing, as we are called to, even if we just begin trying to do it, we settle down and become filled with joy. Give God some time today, every day. Take a deep breath. Listen. Wait!
Then, like John, we find ourselves overflowing with the Good News of Christ Jesus. We become the ones, who through our lives, our words, and our actions, proclaim the coming of the Lord.
It’s hard for us to focus in and realize preparing for the birth of Christ means being quiet, being reverent, being centered, not in our holiday plans, but in our loving God. But wait! Focus! A baby is about to be born, God is about to dwell among us. Gaudete!
In the words of Paul, “Be at peace among yourselves. . . hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say rejoice.”
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare Your way; Grant that we, who are called by You, may likewise prepare and make ready Your way, by turning over our hearts and wills to You, by surrendering our time and talents to Your use, by giving up our control and our desire for success, willingly accepting your work in their place, that we and all we meet may be filled with your Love, joy, and peace. All this we ask for your mercy’s sake. Amen