This Sunday, December 15, is the Third Sunday of Advent often called “Gaudete Sunday.” Gaudete is a Latin word meaning ‘rejoice.’ And there is a lot of rejoicing in the lessons appointed for this Sunday:
From Zephaniah: “Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you, he has turned away your enemies.” Also: “The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love”
From Canticle 9 (Isaiah 12): “Surely, it is God who saves me; I will trust in him and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, and he will be my Savior. Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing from the springs of salvation.”
If you’re still wondering about the rejoicing theme, how about the lesson from Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”
And then there is John the Baptist in the Gospel of Luke: “Rejoice! You brood of vipers!”
Wait. That’s not right. John the Baptist didn’t say it quite like that, did he? But, if you look very closely at John’s words, and can get past the edgy judgmental voice we have come to hear in John the Baptist, his message is cause for rejoicing. It is Good News. God can and will raise us up–all of us. God will transform us in His love and through His love in the coming of Jesus to be our savior. In Jesus, even a stone–or a heart of stone, can be transformed into a beloved child. Even a barren tree can produce sweet fruit. Even vipers can be transformed by God into caring, generous, loving, and justice-seeking children of God.
Make no mistake, the Good News isn’t a reward for good behavior–compensation for those who “do the right thing.” The Good News is that salvation is given freely in Jesus and transforms those who receive this gift through faith–no matter status, heritage, or position.
Gaudete in Domino simper: iterum dico, gaudete. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say , Rejoice.
This is Good News. Jesus is coming in love to transform us all, even vipers.
