We are at the midpoint of the Advent season and this Sunday we are called to rejoice as we get closer to the solemnity of the birth of our Savior. The third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday (from the Latin meaning “rejoice”). Its name is taken from the entrance antiphon of the Mass, which is: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near. This entrance antiphon we will hear again in the second reading of this Sunday from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians. He said, “Brothers and sisters rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near.” (Phil.4: 4-5)
Why did St. Paul say this to the Philippians? It is because he knew that Advent is the season of preparing for the arrival of the Lord Jesus (both his first coming and his second coming), and since the third Sunday of Advent is at the midpoint of the season, it is appropriate to rejoice because the Lord is near.
As part of rejoicing, we light the pink candle on our Advent wreath. Why the pink candle? Because the pink candle signifies joy. Historically speaking, Advent is patterned in part after Lent. Gaudete Sunday is similar to the Lenten Laetare Sunday, which also represents joy and falls at the midpoint of Lent. In the ancient Church on Laetare Sunday in Lent, the Pope gave a citizen a pink rose. That tradition has continued as popes would bestow golden roses on Catholic rulers and now more commonly, on places of devotion.
Following this papal rose custom, bishops and priests began wearing rose-colored vestments on Laetare Sunday. The Church then brought the Lenten practice of rose vestments to Advent on Gaudete Sunday. As a result, the pink candle gained a place on the Advent wreath.
Anyway, so much for the historical background of the pink candle. Since pink is the color of joy, I am going to share with you a way to bring true joy into your life. All you have to remember is how to spell J O Y, what each letter stands for, and the order of the letters. ‘J’ stands for ‘Jesus’, and just as ‘J’ is the first letter of JOY, so Jesus should always be ‘first’ in our lives. ‘O’ stands for ‘others’, and just as ‘O’ is the second letter of JOY, we should always think of others ‘second’ in our lives. The ‘Y’ stands for ‘you’, and just as ‘Y’ is the last letter of JOY, we should always think of ourselves ‘last’. Therefore, to bring true JOY into your life, always think of Jesus first, others second and yourself last. Happy Third Sunday of Advent!