Gaudete Sunday is a day of rejoicing amidst our Advent journey. We find cause for joy even during the penitential season of waiting, as symbolised by the pink candle on the Advent wreath. As we draw closer to the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, our hearts are filled with anticipation.
Today’s readings are filled with themes of joy, hope, and preparing the way for the Lord. As the Prophet Zephaniah encourages us, “Shout for joy, daughter of Zion, exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem!” (Zephaniah 3:14). Let us celebrate Gaudete Sunday in the depths of our hearts and minds. Our joy is rooted in the hope that Christ brings into our lives, as St Paul reminds us in the second reading.
Yet we are reminded by John the Baptist, who embodies the spirit of Advent in the Gospel that we are to prepare a way for the Lord by repentance. As we embrace the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Tuesday night, let us examine our lives in the presence of the Lord, with the Joy of Gaudate Sunday, knowing that the Lord is with us.
