Gaudete Sunday

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near”

Friends, today is the third Sunday of Advent, also called Gaudete Sunday! Gaudete means "Rejoice"!

The Gospel reading for today address the mission of John the Baptist, who abandoned the "ego-drama" as Bishop Barron would say, to instead follow the "theo-drama". We are all called to point to Jesus with our entire lives! We are not the master of our lives, but Jesus Christ is.

"I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie."

While the Season of Advent is a penitential one, this Sunday is the Sunday of joy. We should all rejoice in the coming of the Lord!

Friends, we must recognize that happiness and joy are separate. In this fallen world, we want to make ourselves feel good, to feel happy, but happiness is simply a feeling. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, there can be no lasting joy apart from the Lord! Take joy in doing the will of God!