Joshua Rhone

Dec. 6th, 2010

“Gaudete in Domino semper”

Take the familiar elements of Christmas and throw them out.

Those bright red poinsettias, the scrumptious cookies, the twinkling
and tastefully decorated tree, Christmas party upon Christmas party,
and that Christmas ham that have become such a familiar part of the
days leading up to Christmas were, for centuries, not a part of the way
that people prepared for Christmas.
For centuries, Christmas (or “The Nativity” or “The Feast of the
Nativity” as it was also known) was preceded by a forty-day period of
fasting. This time of fasting, known as “Advent,” was intended to
serve as a time of preparation. A season characterized by longing and
eager anticipation, God’s people were encouraged to penitently
prepare themselves for the event that commemorated God sending His
one and only Son to live life on our level and “give His life as a ransom
for many (Matt. 20.28; Mk. 10.45).” Likewise, it was during the season
of Advent that people were admonished to remember the great truth
that just as Christ came the first time to bring salvation to many, so too
would He one day return to judge both the quick and the dead (as the
Apostles’ Creed so aptly reminds us).
Obviously, a great deal has changed. Most of us no longer fast
during the season of Advent. Much of the penitential thrust of the
season has been replaced with holiday cheer, the constant
bombardment of Christmas carols, and those all-so-familiar sermons
about Mary, the wisemen/magi from the East, the shepherds, and the
birth of Jesus in a stable because there was no room for Him in the inn.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m in no way suggesting that
holiday cheer, Christmas trees, packages, and parties are evil and are
to be avoided. In fact, I like to enjoy a good glass of eggnog while
gazing upon a tastefully appointed Christmas tree just as much as the
next person.
However, what I am suggesting is that in our eagerness to
celebrate something valuable has been lost. Without the fasting the
feasting isn’t quite as incredible. Without confession, repentance, and
penitence the joy of our salvation isn’t quite as joyous.
For the last two weeks our church, and many others throughout
the area, have been reading, preaching, and considering the texts of
“Year A” of the lectionary cycle. These are passages of Scripture that
seem foreign to many during this time of year. They seem foreign
because they neither rehearse nor recount the familiar stories of
Christmas. Instead, they look to the future- to the day when Christ will
return to bring judgment and set the world to rights.
Tomorrow, many of our churches will light the third candle of our
Advent wreathes. Unlike the two candles that precede it (the candles
of hope and love, whose color is purple), this third candle is
traditionally pink. It serves as the symbol for joy and beckons God’s
people to “Gaudete in Domino semper,” to “Rejoice in the Lord
always.”
The unique color of this candle signals a turning point. The call
to worship and adore “the Lord who is to come,” as the Invitatory of
the Catholic Mass has summoned worshippers during Mass on the two
previous weeks, is now replaced with an appeal to God’s people to
“Rejoice in the Lord always.” Traditionally, this summons meant that
the organ (which had not been used during the two previous weeks)
would bellow to life and breathe a renewed sense of joy and
excitement into worship; rose colored vestments would often replace
the purple or black vestments of previous weeks. Additionally, flowers
(which had been forbidden during the first two Sundays of Advent)
would be brought into the sanctuary. In other words, in and through
the liturgy and the aesthetics of the sanctuary, God’s people would be
encouraged to remember and joyfully celebrate the God whose coming
is nigh and whose glorious plan of salvation is close at hand.
The third Sunday of Advent should, therefore, stir our hearts and
ignite within us a desire to joyfully express thanks and praise to God.
Reminded as we are on this day to “Rejoice in the Lord always”: we
should seek especially on this day, and in the days which follow, to
cultivate an attitude of gratitude in our hearts and lives.
That’s all well and good. But, “So what?” you ask. “What does
this have to do with me?” “How does that intersect with my life this
week?”
These are questions that each and every one of us should be
asking. After all, it is questions such as these that help to move from
abstract theory to lived reality. These are the questions that help us
pull abstract truth down into the nitty-gritty elements of daily life.
With that in mind, please allow me to offer a few practical
suggestions about what each of us might do so that we can rejoice in
the Lord always. First of all, to rejoice in something means simply that
we are to find joy in and/or delight in that thing. If you and I are to
rejoice in the Lord always, quite simply we must find joy in and/or
delight in Him. During the season of Advent, as we await for the
celebrations of Christmas morn, this means taking the time each and
every day to thank God for His glorious plan of salvation and the hope
and freedom that can be ours if only we believe. One simple way that
we can do this is to set aside time each week to worship God, together
with other like-minded believers. Tomorrow, we are presented with a
variety of opportunities to do just that. Churches across the area will
open their doors, thereby providing us with an opportunity to sing
songs of praise among many other means of worshipping and rejoicing
in the Lord.
Second, as we remember the love and unmerited favor that God
has shown to us by sending His one and only Son, we are presented
with the opportunity to be loving and generous in our interactions with
others. During this time of the year people tend to be more jovial and
generous (which is understandable given all of the holiday cheer).
However, rather than simply giving an obligatory donation to the
Salvation Army or few cans of food to the local food bank, maybe we
should genuinely take delight in and be generous towards those whom
we share clock-time with. This may mean joyfully giving some food to
the local food bank, but it might likely mean generously giving your
time working at the food bank and getting to know those who make
use of this valuable service. It may mean generously placing some
money in one of those kettles when you come out of a store, but it may
likely mean joyfully volunteering to help in whatever way is needed.
Or, being generous to others just as God was generous to us, may
mean spending less on your own family’s Christmas celebrations so
that you might give the gift of water, food, clothing, shelter, and heat
to those are struggling to obtain for themselves or their families some
of the basic necessities of life.
Third, we might make strides to rejoicing in the Lord always if
each and every one of us would make an effort this Christmas season
to be a little more joyful. As you go about your shopping, smile. As
you wait at the counter for your food, smile and treat the person
behind the register as a human rather than an incompetent nit-wit who
has conspired to make you wait an extra thirty seconds for that
hamburger that very few of us actually need. Compliment and leave a
generous tip for that waiter or waitress who has feverishly attempted
to cater to your every dining whim.
As we light the candle of joy tomorrow, may each and every one
of us find our hearts aflame with joy and thanksgiving for that which
God has so graciously given to us- salvation in and through His Son
and our Savior, Jesus Christ. And, may we be so filled with joy, that we
would be loving and generous to others just as God has been loving
and generous to us.