Advent Reflection: Rejoice in the Lord
This year for our Advent reflections, we will focus on the entrance antiphons for each of the Sundays of Advent. These antiphons belong to the Church’s liturgical heritage and are proper to the Mass to which they belong, setting the tone of the liturgical celebration. Even if your parish does not choose to sing them, they can be fruitfully meditated on before or after the Mass.
Entrance Antiphon for the Third Sunday of Advent
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.” The traditional Latin rendition of this opening chant for the Mass has, through the centuries, contributed to the bright, hope-filled character of this 3rd Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday. On this day we light the rose-colored candle on our Advent wreath and the priest may wear rose colored vestments, all pointing to the fact that half of Advent has passed and we are already anticipating the good tidings of great joy that will be announced for all the people – the birth of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ on Christmas night.
The text of this Introit is taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians and it is well for us to reflect on the endless hardships, sufferings and imprisonments that this Apostle endured while at the very same time exhorting all Christians to “Rejoice in the Lord always!” The entrance antiphon continues “Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God…”
The word “forbearance” is important here. It is the ability to remain standfast with patient endurance and self-control in the face of injury, injustice or suffering. All human life experiences suffering to some degree and perhaps even more for us Christians. And it is precisely in rejoicing in the Lord that we will find the strength to stand firm in time of trial. Even in the Old Testament, Nehemiah when faced with great opposition and frightened about the prospects for the future told the Israelites, “Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10)
What kind of joy is this then? Paul is not thinking of a merely emotional happiness but the deep joy that is the sweet fruit if the Holy Spirit dwelling in the heart of the Christian, the Divine Indwelling. The Greek word for this joy referred to by St. Paul is chara. This noun describes an inner gladness or delight. St. Peter concurs by saying that to have the Holy Spirit within us is to be filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8). Joy then in Greek is chara but there yet another very closely associated Greek word – charis, which means “grace” or “a gift.” The two are directly linked because chara is the natural outflowing of charis. We have joy only because of God’s grace and God’s Gift and all this beginning with the Incarnation of his only begotten Son.
St. Augustine understands well this mysterious Christian joy that is manifested even and especially during trying circumstances. He observes people singing while harvesting …or when any other strenuous work is in progress. “…They burst out into a simple sound of joy, of jubilation. Such a cry of joy is a sound signifying that the heart is bringing to birth what it cannot utter in words. Now who is more worthy of such a cry of jubilation than God himself, whom all words fail to describe? Your heart must rejoice beyond words, soaring into an immensity of gladness, unrestrained by syllabic bonds. Sing to him with songs of joy.” (St. Augustine, Office of Reading for St. Cecilia)
Wishing you all this Gaudete Sunday the “Gift of God” in his sustaining Joy, through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.
