In Anticipation of Gaudete Sunday

"Shout, O Israel: be glad, and rejoice with all thy heart."

This is the first year I've set up the Christmas tree before December even started. I justified it by painting a dozen Jesse tree ornaments and putting on signs of creation like birds and some beehive ornaments, bright red apples, etc. Today, though, I went crazy and finished decorating the tree. As I posted earlier this month, "We need a little Christmas right this very minute!" And I just couldn't wait any longer for the glitz and glitter.

Gaudete Sunday: Rejoice and Be Glad...

 ....Your salvation is at hand!

Gaudete Sunday Meditation: A Brief Break from My Advent Fast for an Exhortation

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice." (Phil 4:4)

Have you made a holy hour this Advent? Have you made many? No matter your answer, I urge you to make one more this week as a gift to lay before the manger. Many people suffer at this time of year. If you are one of them, run to Bethlehem, the "house of bread." There the Lord waits for you to pour out his love in an infinite flow of consolation and peace. If you have only a drop of love to give Him, He will pour out an ocean of love in return; if your love is only the size of grain of sand, He will offer you all the sands of the desert that Moses and the Israelites passed through on the way to the Promised Land.

Nabi Sayeth: Gaudete Sunday is Upon Us. Will We Listen to John's Prescription for Salvation?

If we listen and heed St. John the Baptist, we truly will be able to rejoice despite
the desert our bishops have made of the Church in the United States!

Nabi Sayeth: The third Sunday of Advent in our beloved Catholic Church is known traditionally as “Gaudete Sunday”, the Sunday of rejoicing. The mood of the holy mass shifts from one of open-ended hope to a sense of joyful expectation. The prayers and readings at the holy mass invite us to become excited about the nearness of Our Savior’s birth.

Gaudete Sunday at St. John Bosco in Woodstock

Gaudete Sunday brings out the rose-colored vestments and the call to "Rejoice, the Savior is near!"

But we had another reminder today of the first Christmas, because we were visited by representatives of The Bethlehem Carving Group. They come every year with beautiful woodcarvings, rosaries, and other devotional items -- all made in the Holy Land and sold to raise money for the Catholics who still live there. Not many sadly. Catholics used to represent about 37% of the population. Now they are less than 1%. The violence has driven them away and those that remain live in uncertainty. We bought a beautiful statue of the holy family this morning made from a single piece of olive wood. The detail is intricate and I was especially taken by the faces of Mary and the babe. It was a way to contribute to the Catholics in the Holy Land and to remind ourselves often to pray for them. The statue will sit on our dining room table throughout the Christmas season as a call to imitate the holy family. It will also be a continuous reminder to be in union with our suffering brothers and sisters around the world. Our Lady Queen of Peace, pray for us.

N.B. You need not schedule a visit from the woodcarvers to see the items for sale, although actually handling the statues and seeing them close up is better than just seeing pictures. You just can't appreciate the beauty of the detail from the photos. But you can check out their catalog here.

Gaudete Sunday: Rejoice, the Lord is Near!

We sang People Look East this morning at Mass, one of my favorite hymns. I posted a choir version last year, so this year here's something different -- bells ringers. Whenever you here a bell, remember the Lord is near!

Gaudete Sunday

On this third Sunday of advent, the priest changes his purple vestments for rose to alert us to the nearness of Christmas. Awake, you sleepers, and prepare your hearts for the coming of Christmas!

This is my favorite Advent hymn because it is so joyful. I wish I could find a professionally done version to share, but these were the best I could do. The joy of this hymn filled my heart this weekend with the anticipation of the coming season of light. No matter how dark our world and what troubles may be ahead of us, the Messiah is born. He was born 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem. He lives now among us, and He is coming again at the end of time. Prepare the way for Him. Come, Lord Jesus!