Third Sunday of Advent
Ever since I was a kid, I loved Christmas – Santa, gifts, families together, and all that comes with it! But not only Christmas; Advent has always held a special place in my heart. I remember walking into Church and feeling this quiet excitement because everything looked different, warmer, softer, more hopeful. And honestly, one of the biggest reasons I loved it was simple: pink. My favorite color. I loved seeing that rose-colored candle lit on the Advent wreath and watching the priest wear rose vestments. It felt like the whole Church was celebrating something just for me! Only later did I learn how rare and meaningful that color really is, appearing only twice a year: once today, on Gaudete Sunday, and once during Lent. That still amazes me!
But as much as I loved Advent growing up, I’ve learned as an adult that anticipation doesn’t always feel joyful. In fact, it can get swallowed up by anxiety if I’m not careful. I think back to two years ago when I ended up not celebrating my own birthday, not because I didn’t want to, but because the stress of planning everything completely drained me. Instead of looking forward to something special, I let worry take over. And when I look back now, it honestly makes me sad that something meant to be joyful slipped away because I was too overwhelmed, and it’s a moment I won’t ever get back.
I see the same thing happen to others too. Brides who are so stressed about wedding details that they forget the joy of preparing to unite their lives with someone they love. Friends who skip celebrations because organizing them feels too heavy. It’s a pattern we all fall into sometimes: letting anticipation turn into pressure instead of joy.
And Advent can become like that too. With decorations, concerts, rehearsals, work deadlines, gift shopping, and endless end-of-year events, it’s easy for the season to fill up so much that there’s no room left for peace. Instead of joyful expectation, we end up racing from one task to another. We forget what, and more importantly, who we are waiting for.
That’s why Gaudete Sunday is so powerful. It arrives right in the middle of the busyness and whispers, “rejoice.” Not because everything is perfect. Not because we’ve finished our shopping or gotten our lives together. But because the Lord is near. Sunday’s readings remind us that joy can blossom even in deserts, that it grows out of God’s faithfulness, that it is strengthened by patience, and that it can exist alongside our questions and uncertainties.
So, this Sunday, I’m trying to do something different. Instead of rushing ahead, I want to pause and breathe. I want to remember that joy isn’t something I have to manufacture, it’s something God invites me into. I want to let go of the stress that so easily steals what is meant to be beautiful. And I would love to invite you to pause with me as well!
Let this Gaudete Sunday be our reminder to step back, slow down, and truly enter into the mystery of Christ’s coming. Let’s let real joy rise again: pink candle, rose vestments, childhood excitement, and all! And remember that our Savior is closer than we think.