ADVENT SEASON GUIDE SERIES THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT – REJOICE ALWAYS A SYMBOL OF JOY This has been a challenging year and the stream of bad news has likely taken a toll on our bodies and souls. During the first two weeks of Advent, priests wore violet...
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ADVENT SEASON GUIDE SERIES THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT – REJOICE ALWAYS A SYMBOL OF JOY This has been a challenging year and the stream of bad news has likely taken a toll on our bodies and souls. During the first two weeks of Advent, priests wore violet vestments to symbolize the penitential nature of the season. For many of us, this Advent may feel more like Lent. Today, however, things change. Today, the darker color of violet is replaced with the lighter color of rose – a symbol of joy. This third Sunday of Advent is called “Gaudete Sunday,” a Latin word meaning rejoice! In the first reading, Isaiah says, “I rejoice heartily in the Lord, in my God is the joy of my soul” (Isa 62:10a). To encounter Jesus Christ is to discover joy. The scriptures demonstrate that Jesus can be encountered not only in good times but also most especially during difficult times. That is why St. Paul reminds us in the second reading, “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks” (1 Th
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