Today is the Third Sunday of Advent – also known as Gaudete Sunday. (Gaudete is a Latin word meaning “rejoice.”) The vestments for this Sunday are pink – a very joyful colour! It is a Sunday where we think about joy ….… not a word we use that often anymore.
It seems to me that as Catholics, we don’t do Joy that well. We sit quietly in pews, We sing quietly. We pray quietly. And we probably feel uneasy if the person next to us is exuberant in their praying or singing. Sound familiar?
And it is all too easy for us to ask “How can we be joyful in the midst of the struggles that touch all our lives. ? How can we rejoice in the face of the sufferings that mar our world, with its war, poverty and injustice? All of these things can weigh us down with a feeling of sadness.
Sadness is a feeling.
Joy is not a feeling. – It is a decision. A decision to see the good around us, to see the best in people. A decision to see the ninety-nine things might be going well in our lives, not the one thing going badly. A decision to see life with a bigger view, a larger perspective. A decision to see others as God sees them. A decision to see our lives in an eternal frame of reference.
In our second reading today, St. Paul says, “Rejoice always!” It’s not a suggestion, like “cheer up, ” or “look on the sunny side.” Rather, It is a command, “Rejoice. Always.” Not only when things are going well. Not just when I am getting my way – but always. “Rejoice always.”
Now, I admit that this command is not an easy one for us. We can give in to sadness and get a bit depressed when looking at the world around. And listening to the news on the commute in to work is definitely not a help! I am sure that Jesus was very aware of the suffering and injustice in his world. But his response was not to be encumbered, boxed in, by the world around him. His response was to heal the sick, giving sight to the blind and the lame. He brought forgiveness to sinners like prostitutes and the tax collectors who collaborated with the oppressive Roman Empire. Indeed he invited these sinners to share his dinner table with him—so much so that he was called “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Did he let that quench the joy within him? No. Jesus tells us “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”Fortunately, St. Paul explains how to do it
He says pray without ceasing, giving thanks in all circumstance, and refrain from every kind of evil.
The first thing he says is to pray. When things go wrong, you and I can tend to throw up our arms and get discouraged. Paul says, “Pray without ceasing.” Even when things fall apart – especially when they fall apart. It is why we have intercessory prayers at Mass. While we may not be able to do anything about the bigger problems in our world, we have no doubt that God can, in His own way. And so, we pray for that. We are told that our prayers have effect – but do we really believe that? Because, if we did, if we truly believed that our prayers make a difference in peoples lives, then we WOULD pray. Pray a lot. Maybe even, pray without ceasing !
The second step to joy is gratitude. Paul says, “in all circumstances give thanks.” He challenges us to have an attitude of gratitude. Did St. Paul give thanks when his own people insulted him and physically attacked him? Did he give thanks when his boat capsized and he found himself drifting on a cold sea? Did he give thanks when a snake bit him? Well, maybe not immediately, but by prayer and reflection he saw God’s hand at work. And he gave thanks. And when we go through our days with Thankfulness in our hearts, it transforms us. And it transforms the people we come in contact with.
Paul then adds something that seems obvious: “Refrain from every kind of evil.” If we are involved in a sinful activity, we will not be happy. We will not be able to rejoice. Remember, sin is a turning away from God. And the more we turn away from God, the harder it is to see God in all things, times, events, people. God is always there – God never abandons us – but we will find it harder and harder to be aware of God’s presence. Harder to see God who is in the very midst of the brokenness, injustice, and sinfulness of our world. Harder to see God is at work at the heart of the messy scene of our lives, not somewhere else where everything is perfectly healthy, peaceful, and just. Harder to see God’s love at work within us and within the world, offering the peace we so desperately seek.
We can choose to rejoice here, now, for Emmanuel is with us, here, now. We can choose to see the good around us, to see the best in people. We can choose to see the ninety-nine things might be going well in our lives, not the one thing going badly. We can choose to see life with a bigger view, a larger perspective, to see others as God sees them, to see our lives in an eternal frame of reference.
Or, we can choose not to.
Sadness is a feeling. Joy is a decision. Which will you choose?