Our Advent journey is almost over. Our preparation to receive the Christ child is concluding. The Christmas celebration is almost upon us. We are so close it is like the morning just before the breaking of the dawn. The coming dawn, and the rising sun, is a perfect image of Christ’s coming into the world. His being born of a Virgin and placed in a manger. Jesus is the Light of the World, and this Light has broken the darkness. What was begun in the crib reached its completion on the Cross. His birth and coming into the world announced our salvation, and evil’s defeat.

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,      There are only ten days until Christmas! This third Sunday of Advent is called “Gaudete” Sunday. There are two times we can observe the liturgical color, rose on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent), and on Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent). Both Gaudete and Laetare terms can be translated “rejoice.” We light the rose candle in the Advent wreath on this Sunday. In the midst of our Advent preparations we anticipate Jesus’ coming joyfully. The theme of joy rings out in the Scripture passages for today’s Mass. Therefore, we should rejoice and be glad in preparing the way of the Lord.

The readings this weekend lay out some typical Advent themes, for lack of a better word. We see this especially in the first reading from Isaiah and in the Gospel.       The prophet Isaiah gives us one of the most important Messianic prophecies, or prophecies related to the coming Messiah. He begins by saying that a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse. This is another way of saying that the Messiah will be of David’s line, as Jesse is the father of David. This isn’t the origin of the Davidic understanding of the Messiah. It simply helps to give us the clue that Isaiah is referring to the Messiah.  

The new Liturgical Church Year begins. We begin Year A, which emphasizes the gospel of St. Mathew. Advent is here! Advent is season of waiting. It rings like a bell in the early morning, rousing us to reality. In the Gospel today, Jesus says: “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come." (Mathew 24:42). It is noted that the Church draws our attention again to our final destiny. What began with Christ's birth in  Bethlehem will finally culminate in his Second Coming at the end of time.