Dear Parishioners,
This Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, is know as “Gaudete Sunday.” It’s a command in Latin telling us to “rejoice,” because the theme of the readings are joy, and the entrance antiphon from Philippians says “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! Indeed, the Lord is near!” (Phil 4:4–7) But why? Not just because the Lord came into the world at Bethlehem and will come again at the end of time, but because He comes now in Word and Sacrament. As St. Paul says in the second reading, “The Lord Himself is near.” And if He is near, our lives should be different and reflect His presence in our lives. We should dismiss our anxiety, turn over our problems to God, reach out to our brothers and sisters in need, and spend more time with God in prayer and meditation. Then we can be open and receptive to Him who alone can give us peace, comfort, and joy. So “Rejoice in the Lord always.”
Fr. Carl
