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The Third Sunday Of Advent (Gaudete)
Stir up thy power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let thy bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honor and glory, world without end. Amen.
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The Third Sunday Of Advent (Gaudete)
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Scripture citation(s): Philippians 4:4-9
A Sermon by
Fr. Mead
on
Philippians 4:4-9
✛
The Secret of Rejoicing
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Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
In the Name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The third Sunday of Advent by tradition is called Gaudete Sunday, because of the first word of the old Latin Mass proper for this day, gaudete, which means Rejoice. The fourth Sunday in Lent, similarly, is called Laetare Sunday. Laetare also means Rejoice. Instead of purple, rose colored vestments may be worn, which reflects in both cases a relaxation of the penitential spirit of the season and anticipates the approaching feasts of Christmas and Easter.
Today’s sublime epistle reading from Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians, which begins, “Rejoice in the Lord always,” was the text for that old Latin liturgy: Gaudete! Rejoice in the Lord always! This morning I want to speak to you about rejoicing.
First of all, when the Apostle tells the Christians at Philippi to rejoice, he does not refer to a joy that is caused by some circumstance, like a favorable turn of events, a new job, a good report from the doctor, the reception of a proposal of love, or even the birth of a grandchild. He says, Rejoice in the Lord. The rejoicing is grounded in the knowledge and love of God; in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. It is a rejoicing that can coexist with sorrow! The greatest preacher of the early church, Saint John Chrysostom, commenting on this text, said, “This rejoicing is not separable from grief, for indeed it is rather deeply connected with grief.”¹
The Apostle has the right and the authority of his own faith and life to say these things to us. We should remember that as Paul was writing these words to the church, he himself was in prison in Rome and in peril of death, a death which did indeed come to him. Although under guard and incarcerated for preaching Christ, Paul nevertheless takes heart and rejoices at the progress of the Gospel, at the life of the churches such as the Philippians.
Of all Paul’s letters, Philippians is the most serene.
There is peace in the whole tone of the letter. Just a few verses beyond today’s reading, Paul dispenses some wisdom that comes from rejoicing in the Lord, no matter what the circumstances: “I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” (Phil 4:11-13) This, remember, comes not from a man surrounded by creature comforts, but by prison walls, guards, and the threat of death any time.
The secret that the Apostle learned is something we need to learn. We are, all of us, very determined by circumstances. The other day I discussed with a parishioner the unique capacity of simple back pain to focus all attention and conquer the mind. We could add financial distress, the loss of a loved one, the frustrated desire to find love and companionship, guilt over a misdeed, or the onset of an illness. New York City as a whole suffered such an overwhelming injury on 9/11. Sharing these pains himself, the Apostle still says, Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice! We need to learn his secret.
When a parishioner tells me of a family member, such as a mother or father, who is sick unto death, I often ask, Does he [or she] have the comfort of faith? Sometimes the answer is, I’m not sure, or even, No. Then I know that on top of the weight of the illness, there is the additional, greater weight of concern for the spirit of the sufferer. More often, however, the answer is, Yes, thank God. And very often I then say to the parishioner, That’s a great comfort, isn’t it? Invariably the response, often made with a smile (even in sad circumstances), is, Yes it is. Then I know that, whatever the gravity of the illness, it can be borne; for all is and will be well, let things happen as they may. If you understand what I have just tried to say, then you understand Saint Paul’s “secret” of facing circumstances, whether being “abased” or “abounding.”
I have addressed our rejoicing while being abased; there is also a way to rejoice in the Lord while we abound. Good news is better when our joy is in God, because we see God’s goodness behind it all. All true honor, beauty, pleasure and goodness come from God; these gifts flow from his will and reflect his glory. They cannot be taken for granted; they are God’s free blessings. Adversity makes us seek refuge in God; prosperity moves us to thank the Giver of all good. Job, after adversity and prosperity of epic proportions, said, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
The circumstances for the Holy Family were no better than those of Saint Paul in his jail cell: dislocation from Nazareth, lodging in a stable in Bethlehem; soon to be refugees in Egypt for fear of Herod’s slaughter of the innocent children; their first Christmas was rough. But the shepherds and the wise men, led by the angels and the grace of God, saw the deep joy; they recognized the gift of the Baby. Let’s be sure this Christmas we recognize the gift of the Baby too. The Baby is our Lord and God.
Gaudete Sunday is not just a day with a quaint Latin title. It is a day to hear the apostolic command: Rejoice! Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
In the Name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. Amen.
__________
¹Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, VIII, p. 281. I owe the inspiration for this homily to Chrysostom’s sharp point.
