Gaudete Sunday (3rd Sunday of Advent)

Gospel Bullet Points (Luke 3:10-18)

• Today is Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, which calls us to rejoice, for the day of the Lord is close at hand. The color pink (rose-cored) represents a shift from the Advent theme of repentance to joyful celebration.
• St. Paul, in the second reading, invites us to “rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS. He repeats the same invitation in the next sentence to emphasize the same message: “I say it again, rejoice!”
• The Gospel reading speaks of John proclaiming the coming of Jesus. The people then asked John: “What must we do, then?” He tells his listeners to share what they have—their clothes and food—with those in need. Be satisfied with what they have. And if they want to change their lives, they must be sorry for their sins, de-program their lives, and live a new way of living. This Gaudete Sunday, we, too, are invited to ask ourselves: “What must we do?” and consider what we could share with others this Christmas. During this Advent Season, our focus should be more on deeper things that will lead us to conversion,
• After hearing John’s teachings, the people begin to wonder if John was the Messiah himself. John, however, immediately claims that certainly, he is not the Messiah, the Savior who is to come. The real Messiah will be much greater that even John the Baptist will not even be worthy to untie the laces of the Messiah’s sandals.
• This Gaudete Sunday, let us humbly heed the voice of John calling for genuine conversion—a conversion that brings about real joy to our lives.