It is the third Sunday of Advent. Today, we celebrate Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is a Latin word which means “rejoice.” Are we rejoicing with expectation of the coming of the Lord? We are anticipating His coming, and it is a penitential season, but to do penance does not mean that we are gloomy or down cast, rather it means that we are enjoying following the Lord. Can we imagine what Mary was feeling, the joy that was welling up in her? Mary is about to give birth to Jesus, I have seen many mothers who were pregnant and about to give birth and so often to see the joy radiating on their faces is such a beautiful gift. It is Gaudete Sunday; are we rejoicing in preparing for His birth?
The Christmas schedule for Mass will be the same as last year. Christmas Eve Mass at Saint Catherine will be at 4:00 pm and at Saint Michael at 7:00 pm. Christmas Day Mass at Our Lady of the Snows will be at 9:00 am. Still, remember we are not yet celebrating Christmas. It is just around the corner, and yet it is not here yet. It is as if we have this quiet joy of waiting for the Lord to come.
So it is the middle of Advent; have we prepared for the Lord to come spiritually? Here are some ideas to help us do just that. We could read the story of the Annunciation, the Visitation. Take some time to prayerfully read through these. The Annunciation can be found in Luke 1: 26-38. The Visitation is found in Luke 1: 39-45. It would be good to pray through the rest of Chapter one of Luke as it includes the Canticle of Mary, the Birth of John the Baptist and Zechariah’s Canticle (he is the father of John the Baptist). Praying a decade of the rosary with either the Annunciation or Visitation mystery would be good as well. Have we been to confession lately (at least in the last year). We should go if we haven’t. Have we helped out someone in need, maybe someone we know is going through some rough times, we could be praying for them. One thing I am asking of the kids this week is to make sure they are at least praying one Our Father each day, maybe this would be a good place to start.
Fr. Thomas P. Galarneault