Exit qui seminat - The 3rd Sunday of Advent

We’ve finally reached a huge turning point in our Advent journey: the 3rd Sunday of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday (an imperative, an exclamation in Latin meaning “Rejoice”). After focusing on when Christ will come again in glory for the last two weeks, the Church is now focused on our proximate preparation for Christmas Day and the birth of our Savior. That’s why the liturgical color for this Sunday is rose, a representation of joy. When Advent was a penitential season like Lent, the 3rd Sunday was also known as “Refreshment Sunday” and represented “a break in the action” of our spiritual sacrifice. Even though the celebration of Advent has slightly changed, we still have an opportunity to pause and not only take stock and inventory of our spiritual journey but also renew our joy in the realization that the Birth of Christ is just around the corner. 

Sincerely Yours in Christ, 

Fr. Rob Sinatra