December 9, 2024

(aka--"the one with the PINK candle")

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete. 

You may not recognize the Latin, but the English translation is near and dear to us all: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice.

Those familiar words from Philippians 4:4 give the third Sunday in Advent its "fancy" name: Gaudete Sunday: the Sunday of joy!

Advent is a season of preparation, expectation, and plain-old waiting. 

Waiting: what could possibly be JOYFUL about that? Endlessly on "hold" with customer service...trapped in a waiting room full of sick people at the doctor's office...wondering exactly when during that 4-hour appointment window the cable company will actually show up (if they show up at all).

THAT kind of waiting isn't much fun. We grow impatient with inefficiencies, get angry because we aren't receiving the attention / service we deserve, feel our anxiety and blood pressure soar because we aren't sure what the outcome will be.

Advent isn't about inefficiencies, but about God's good timing.

Advent has nothing to do with "what we're entitled to," because God's presence and grace and salvation are gifts freely given--never earned.

And as to "what the future holds?" Well, we wait with the confidence that God keeps God's promises.

And because of that blessed assurance, we are people of JOY, even as we wait for Christ's return.

If you look back in history (or look around at Anglican, Lutheran, or Catholic practices today), you'll discover that Gaudete Sunday has a parallel during Lent. It's called Laetare Sunday.

Like "Gaudete," "Laetare" is another Latin word for joy. 

Both Laetare (4th Sunday of Lent) and Gaudete (3rd Sunday of Advent) Sundays come after we've reached the half-way point in these seasons of preparation. We're in the home stretch: let's celebrate! They are bright spots in difficult seasons: a reminder that Good News is right around the corner!

Think of pink as purple's brighter cousin: a joyful lightening of our mood as we anticipate Christmas. It's unusual enough to catch our attention--which, in a bright and shiny, busy season, is a good thing. Rejoice, people of God! It's almost Christmas!

In some churches, the clergy wear "rose" vestments. In most of our churches, we light the pink candle on the Advent wreath.

'Tis the season to sing joyful songs and make joyful noises (you're welcome for the earworm!); but my favorite Christmastime allusion to joy comes in a hymn most congregations rarely sing. 

It's a song for great tenors, big choirs, and brave soloists: "O Holy Night."

The song isn't easy to sing, but its truth in its lyrics is powerful:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope- the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

***

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.

O Holy Night! by Placide Cappaeu; transl. John Dwight

As you prepare for Sunday's service, take time to name your own weariness. What is exhausting you right now? Surrender those needs, worries, situations, and obligations to God.

Then reflect on the weariness of the congregation, your church's neighborhood, the nation, and the world. What Good News can you offer during worship this Sunday that will bring rest, hope, and joy to the weary folks who worship with you? How can you equip those folks to spread that Good News beyond the walls of the church and the hour of worship?

A PRAYER OF JOY inspired by "O Holy Night"  and written by ChatGPT

Leader:
Gracious God,
We come before You in awe and gratitude,
for the joy that fills our hearts through the coming of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Long ago, the world lay in sin and error,
weighed down by sorrow, confusion, and brokenness.
But then He appeared—our Savior, our Redeemer—
and our souls felt their worth in the light of His love.

All:
We rejoice, O Lord, for the thrill of hope that has come into the world!
The weary world that once pined in darkness now rejoices,
for with the breaking of that new and glorious morn,
Your peace, Your love, Your salvation have dawned.
We celebrate the joy of knowing that Christ has come,
bringing with Him the promise of renewal, healing, and freedom.

Leader:
Teach us, Lord, to love one another as You have loved us,
to live according to Your law of love and Your gospel of peace.
May our hearts overflow with the joy of this message,
and may we share that joy with all whom we meet.
In a world that still suffers, still longs for justice,
help us to be instruments of Your peace,
working to break every chain,
to lift up the oppressed,
and to call forth the dignity and worth of every soul.

All:
We give thanks, O God, for the joy that comes from knowing
that in Christ, all oppression shall cease,
and that all people, made in Your image,
are called to live in freedom, love, and peace.
Fill our hearts with that joy today,
and let it flow through us into the world,
as we seek to embody Your kingdom of justice, love, and joy.

Leader:
We pray all this in the name of Jesus,
who is our joy, our peace, and our hope,
and who taught us to love one another,
now and forevermore. Amen.

All:
Amen.

The Louisa Woosley Preaching Initiative is a grant-funded program of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Our goal is to equip ministers and candidates for ministry to preach compelling sermons to today's diverse and often divided world. 

For more information about the initiative and our programs, visit our website.