Happy Gaudete Sunday!

by Fr. Chris Axline  |  12/15/2024  |  Weekly Reflection

Hello St. Mary Magdalene,

The name for today’s feast actually comes from the introit of this Sunday’s Mass, “Gaudete in Domino semper, iterum dico, Gaudete” which comes from Philippians 4:4 (“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, ‘Rejoice’”). What’s fascinating about this verse is that “Gaudete” is an imperative (command) form of the verb to be joyful. Put another way, the Church is commanding us to be joyful! Hence we see some new symbols in our liturgy including the rose colored candle and vestments worn by the priest.

You can remember it this way, they’re rose colored (not pink) because Jesus “rose” from the dead, He didn’t “pink” from the dead. Ok, bad dad jokes aside this is actually a deeply fruitful and powerful message for us because it’s not exactly easy to be joyful; yet, we know joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

Joy though, is also different from pleasure and that’s why it’s possible to be joyful even when things or daily life is not pleasurable. Look to the Cross as an example, the Heart of Christ is filled with joy as He’s hanging there but it sure didn’t feel good. And there is the basis of St. Paul and the Church’s command for the day “rejoice;” to not reduce joy to mere pleasure but to see God at work because that’s where authentic joy comes from, knowing that we are doing the Father’s Will. That’s what gave Christ joy on Calvary and should be the source of our joy too. So, in today’s exhortation where can you find some joy? Well, for starters you’re here at Mass, Christ will be made present on that altar and enters into our life in a powerful way in the Eucharist.

Second, we’re two weeks away from Christmas. We know that Christ was also born into our world, breaking through time, space, and history in order to lead us back to the Father. Christ enters into our human experience and sanctifies it.

Third, there may be a lot of pain in life right now, physically, psychological, spiritual, or in any number of other forms, but, by virtue of the Incarnation, manifest for us at the Infant Birth of Christ, our God is not afraid of our suffering; but rather enters into it in order sanctify it and remind us that even in this vulnerability we are loved. Now that is something to truly be joyful for! We are loved with a Love beyond all telling and that Love is coming straight at us; that’s why we can rejoice today on this Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete!