Gaudete (Sermon Dec.11 -Advent 3)

There is a little girl who loves to wear pink dresses, shiny paten shoes, with a little purse and sparkly headband.  You see her in a million different places, if you keep your eyes open.  She wears a smile and is usually holding the hand of someone she loves –that is when she is not twirling around watching her skirt branch out like a bell.  It is obvious that this little girl loves life, it oozes from her.  Most when seeing her smile back, chuckle to themselves, or wish to have even a little piece of her joy.  The little girl is Gaudete.

Gaudete is a Latin word that translates “to rejoice.”  This third week in Advent has traditionally been named Gaudete Sunday – a day when in some places a pink candle is lit on the Advent Wreath; and priests are allowed to wear pink vestements. The name for today’s celebration was taken from the opening sentence in the Latin Mass which quoted from Philippians 4: “Gaudete in Domino semper” (“Rejoice in the Lord always”).

The colour of pink is to be an effective expression of the specific character of the mystery of faith we celebrate on this day.  Today is a day to reflect on the mystery of JOY; joy which leads to rejoicing.

There was once a little girl named Gloria Winter, I don’t know if she wore pink and sparkly headbands but, I do know that from the age of 6 she took words and made them dance.  Gloria was a Gaudete by nature, expressing her understanding of God and sacred word because she could not keep it inside.  Rejoicing was her mainstay as she began to take piano lessons and put her words to simple music.

As she grew, she joined the Medical Mission Sisters, hoping to be trained as a doctor and to serve the poor around the world in this way.  The sisters however sent Gloria, now Sr. Miriam Therese Winter, to study liturgy.   She loved Gregorian chant and traditional forms of expressing praise to God, but times were changing in the church and she was called upon to speak the words of Scripture and liturgy –no longer in Latin, but in English –with modern poetry and song.

Miriam Therese recalls, "I tried to do what the chant had done, sing the themes of scripture, match the rhythmic pulse of the melody to the accent of the word. My own compositions, my scripture songs, were simply a response to God's word heard loud and clear through the lectionary readings and the prism of the liturgical season celebrated in community."

The songs took wings, they twirled around the world in the joyous rejoicing of communities, singing the words of scripture; the Good News; Gaudete in its fullest meaning.

There was once a youth who wore a pair of cut-off jean shorts, with bright yellow flowers with red centres painted on them, as if growing out of the turned up cuffs.  This youth frolicked through the forest teaching nature classes, played through Bible Studies, told scripture stories such that they would come alive in new forms.  This Gaudete worked at summer camp – encouraging new emerging voices to tell the Good News story.  This Gaudete was often saddened by the children at camp –those who told stories of abuse, those who were obviously malnourished, those who came with only one change of clothes, those who were watched closely as threats had been made to kidnap them, those who were grieving, those who carried burdens that went unspoken –and at the end of a week she had to let them go home to a place that was not safe.

Gaudete was the light that was to share something with these little ones to carry with them on their journey. One of the stories that inspired Gaudete and kept her sane over those summers were words written by Sr.Miriam Therese.

I saw rain drops on my window, Joy is like the rain.
Laughter runs across my pane, Slips away and comes again.
Joy is like the rain.

I saw clouds upon a mountain, Joy is like a cloud.
Sometimes silver, sometimes gray, Always sun not far away.
Joy is like a cloud.

I saw Christ in wind and thunder, Joy is tried by storm.
Christ asleep within my boat, Whipped by wind, yet still afloat,
Joy is tried by storm.

I saw rain drops on a river, Joy is like the rain,
Bit by bit the river grows, 'til all at once it overflows.
Joy is like the rain.

This song was a song sung at church camp, easy to remember, easy to sing. Now none of these words came directly from scripture, however, what a true expression and reflection of JOY. I wonder if any of the little ones who were taught that song, sang it for encouragement –a remembrance of God with them, a hope, a thought that they remain in that camp counsellors prayers –loved.

We heard words from Isaiah today, spoken to the people of his time as words of hope, joy and rejoicing to follow a dark time of exile and oppression.  We hear beautifully written words by John the evangelist about John the Baptist –a brief moment of John’s life where he was the Good News, a prophetic voice to a people ready to reconnect with God, to rediscover hope and joy amidst a world in chaos; but all too soon a joy that turns to John’s martyrdom. We hear of the promised Messiah, of Mary saying “yes” to carrying God incarnate –but once born all too quickly joy turns toward death.

Scripture and Sr. Miriam Therese draw our attention to who Gaudete really is and what this Sunday is about.  Gaudete is God incarnate; Christ asleep within my boat.

You have noticed that days are getting shorter; there is more physical darkness every day until Dec.21. 

You may have noticed that the world is gearing up for Happy Holidays; the pleasure of giving and receiving gifts; the music, advertising, and stories we hear are telling us that we are to be happy.  But for those with addictions, those who have lost their jobs, those who have lost a loved one, those who have no family or bad memories, this time of year is dismal...often with an added stress of having to appear happy to everyone else.

Joy is not about happiness; happiness comes about because of a happening to which an emotion is given. Joy is different.

Joy is like a drop of rain. It falls and splashes out, with the centre soaking the point at which it hits; changing that point forever. It comes and goes. It is a sense of hope amidst the darkness; peace during chaos; perseverance in times of need.  Joy is Christ becoming incarnate and living among us, in us, and to be true joy –through us.

1 Thess. expresses Gaudete:  rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances.  This is joy; inward looking out –once wet, it cannot be taken away.  This is living God incarnate into our day; incarnate in an ordinary stable and on a rugged cross; present by being vulnerable and dying; and in this is found joy and hope remaining.  A mystery of faith.

Gaudete comes from those who share the rain of God’s grace, God’s joy with others –the story of Jesus’ birth, the story of Jesus’ death. Sr.Miriam Therese gave of her spirit and made this world a much better place by telling the story.

Her voice in the wilderness says: "Join me, please, in a spirituality of song and singing that seeks to integrate liturgy and life through a biblical understanding of word that is so much more than words. Together let us sing of Word enfleshed, Wisdom embodied, Spirit dwelling within and among us, day after day, year after year, re-creating our world and re- imagining you and me." 

It is here in the re-living of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection that we hear joy.  Through communion joy is given and received.  In community joy turns to rejoicing, as we sing and pray together.  And it is here that we are reminded of our baptismal calls to be Gaudete’s in the world.  You don’t have to wear pink or headbands with sparkles, it is simply asked that you hold fast to what is good and go and tell the Good News story in your words.  Be a faithful bearer of God incarnate; be light, be hope, spread joy.

Let us pray –a prayer from the Medical Mission Sisters:

God of my childhood and my call,
make me a window, not a wall,
So like an icon, may I be
a sign of love's transparency,
and through the love that lives in me,
proclaim your lasting love for all.

O Holy One of Blessing, let Your love shine through me to all I meet this day. Amen.