This weekend, the Church invites us into one of the most beautiful moments of the Advent season—Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of JOY. We light the rose candle, a color that surprises us right in the midst of Advent’s deeper purple tones. And maybe this year it surprises us even more, because we may not feel very joyful in the busyness of Advent.
By the third week of Advent, life is full. Schedules tighten. Emotions run deeper. Expectations rise. Many of us are carrying more than we speak out loud. And yet right here, right now, the Church gently proclaims: “Rejoice in the Lord always.”
It is important to remember that this Sunday is not about pretending. The Church is not asking us to “be cheerful,” or to push aside everything we’re dealing with. Instead, the Church invites us to a deeper truth: Joy does not begin with us. Joy begins with God.
Joy is not a feeling we force. Joy is the quiet assurance that God is near. Near to the tired, near to the overwhelmed, near to the discouraged, near to the hopeful. Advent joy is the joy of a dawn that has not fully broken, but is already changing the sky.
That is why the rose candle is so meaningful. It is the color of the morning horizon just before sunrise. It tells us that even if our lives feel busy, heavy, or stretched thin, the light of Christ is already approaching. It tells us that God enters our real lives, not our ideal ones. It tells us that joy can find us, even in the exact places where we feel weary.
The Gospel this weekend reminds us of that truth. John the Baptist, strong in faith, bold in his mission finds himself in prison, unsure, waiting, longing for God to act. And Jesus responds not with explanations, but with signs of hope: healing, mercy, compassion, and good news. Joy is not the absence of struggle. Joy is the presence of Christ in the struggle.
My friends, as we continue this Advent journey, I pray that you will allow God’s joy to meet you where you truly are. Not where you wish you were. Not where others think you should be. But right where life is real for you today.
May this rose candle remind us that God is already moving, already healing, already drawing close. And may the joy of Christ strengthen your heart in these days leading to Christmas.
With prayer, gratitude, and joy in Christ, Fr. Jeff