The major theme for this 3rd Sunday of Advent focuses on our continuing preparation in joy for the upcoming arrival of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to our world and lives. Today we light up three Advent candles to signify that the birthday of our Lord is fast approaching.

Today, the 3rd Sunday of Advent, is also known as “Gaudete Sunday” because today’s Mass begins with the opening introit antiphon in Latin: “Gaudete in domino sempter,” which in English means “Rejoice in the Lord always,” in reference to St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians 4:4 and 5. Thus today we light the “rose” candle and the presider wears the rose vestment to symbolize and express our joy for the upcoming arrival of the Lord.

Theologian St. Thomas Aquinas describes the difference between joy and happiness. Happiness means our complete well-being. It is the final end of man, the eternal contemplation of God, who is the infinitely beautiful and good. Happiness is an act of the intellect, to be attained fully not in this life, but in the next. Furthermore, happiness means that our consciousness is absolutely secure and everlasting, that we are in an existence perfect in the tranquil and assured possession of all good that is God alone.

Joy, however, is itself not a virtue, but is an effect of the virtue of charity ("love"). When a person is in love or participating in a charitable deed, he experiences joy that admits no sorrow, because it is not an act of the sensitive faculties, e.g. enjoying food is a natural joy for St. Thomas Aquinas, but supernatural joy, which is spoken of today, on the Gaudete Sunday and in the Gospels, is an act of the intellectual appetite known as the will, that we rejoice for God Himself who is supremely perfect and good, and we rejoice also in our participation in God’s merciful works.

God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topic invites us to rejoice in our preparation for the upcoming arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ, to repent our sins, to exercise our Christian stewardship, to use our time, treasure and talents to love God above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves, participating in the works of mercy, to accomplish God’s will in our lives to glorify God. 

How can we help each other share the joy of our faith in Christ with personal testimony in preparation for His second coming?         

Wishing you a blessed week in the Lord.