3rd Week of Advent: WISH

The third week of Advent means Gaudete Sunday! It’s joy week friends! Why is it called “Gaudete Sunday”? Well, the entrance antiphon  (opening song) for Gaudete Sunday, in both the Traditional Latin Mass and the Novus Ordo, is taken from Philippians 4:4,5: “Gaudete in Domino semper” (“Rejoice in the Lord always”). There’s your Latin lesson for the day!

Today’s theme is WISH. What do you wish for? What does your heart desire the most?

In this week’s Gospel reading we read a little bit about what people are wishing for:

Now the people were filled with expectation, 
and all were asking in their hearts 
whether John might be the Christ.

The people John was preaching to were expecting the Christ, the Messiah. John answers them:

“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

John, too, was waiting with expectation. He was waiting for this wish of the Messiah to be fulfilled, and he knew that God is good and that God would send the Messiah, the Christ, just like he promised he would. God is still in tune to our desires, our wishes.

Again, what is it that you wish for? What does your heart desire the most? Belonging? Patience? Love?

Will Christ’s birth on Christmas make that wish come true?

Be well,

Kristyn Russell