Rejoice Through the Good Times and the Bad
Dec. 15, 2024
Rejoice in the Lord always! Again, I say rejoice!
If we went back in time, we would find that Advent used to be 40 days long, like Lent. And it had a very Lenten character. It was a time in which all Catholics were to fast. And that did not mean that you only ate two meals on two days out of the whole 40 and abstained from meat on Fridays. That was when a fast was a fast. All Catholics were to only eat two meals a day for the entire 40 days of both Advent and Lent, and they did not eat meat for the entire 40 days. Remember that when you are tempted to whine about fasting during Lent.
There was also a presumption, not only during Advent and Lent, that you would go to confession every time that you were planning to receive Communion. So, Advent was seen as much more of a penitential season than we see it now. Back then you had to fast from all food and water, from midnight until after you had gone to Communion. Consequently, almost no one went to Communion on a regular basis back then.
Because Advent and Lent were such tough seasons, the Third Sunday of Advent became Gaudete (Rejoice Sunday) and the Fourth Sunday of Lent became Laudate (Praise) Sunday to lift the very heavy mood and to proclaim, “We are over halfway through. The end is in sight.”
We still celebrate this Third Sunday of Advent as Gaudete Sunday, even though we don’t really do much suffering during the season. It is no longer like an oasis in a great desert where we seek some relief.
St. Paul tells us to rejoice always. For someone who can be a bit solemn and dour at times, that is a remarkable teaching. And we can find it to be unreasonable. How can we rejoice always? Should I rejoice when I am dealing with a kid who has serious learning or disciplinary problems? Yes! Should I rejoice when I or someone else I love receives a serious diagnosis that will change our lives? Yes! What if I have just gotten laid off, or my business is going under? Yes! Rejoice always. We do not rejoice because we are going through tough times, but in spite of the fact that we are going through tough times.
Paul goes on to say, “Have no anxiety at all.” And then he speaks of “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Paul, who knew great struggles, sorrows and suffering in his own life, must be taken seriously if he teaches us these things. This is not some pie-in-the-sky Pollyanna speaking to us, but one who knows how hard life can be.
Let us rejoice! Not just on the Third Sunday of Advent but every day of our lives.
—Fr. Mike Comer
Rejoice in the Lord always! Again, I say rejoice!
If we went back in time, we would find that Advent used to be 40 days long, like Lent. And it had a very Lenten character. It was a time in which all Catholics were to fast. And that did not mean that you only ate two meals on two days out of the whole 40 and abstained from meat on Fridays. That was when a fast was a fast. All Catholics were to only eat two meals a day for the entire 40 days of both Advent and Lent, and they did not eat meat for the entire 40 days. Remember that when you are tempted to whine about fasting during Lent.
There was also a presumption, not only during Advent and Lent, that you would go to confession every time that you were planning to receive Communion. So, Advent was seen as much more of a penitential season than we see it now. Back then you had to fast from all food and water, from midnight until after you had gone to Communion. Consequently, almost no one went to Communion on a regular basis back then.
Because Advent and Lent were such tough seasons, the Third Sunday of Advent became Gaudete (Rejoice Sunday) and the Fourth Sunday of Lent became Laudate (Praise) Sunday to lift the very heavy mood and to proclaim, “We are over halfway through. The end is in sight.”
We still celebrate this Third Sunday of Advent as Gaudete Sunday, even though we don’t really do much suffering during the season. It is no longer like an oasis in a great desert where we seek some relief.
St. Paul tells us to rejoice always. For someone who can be a bit solemn and dour at times, that is a remarkable teaching. And we can find it to be unreasonable. How can we rejoice always? Should I rejoice when I am dealing with a kid who has serious learning or disciplinary problems? Yes! Should I rejoice when I or someone else I love receives a serious diagnosis that will change our lives? Yes! What if I have just gotten laid off, or my business is going under? Yes! Rejoice always. We do not rejoice because we are going through tough times, but in spite of the fact that we are going through tough times.
Paul goes on to say, “Have no anxiety at all.” And then he speaks of “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Paul, who knew great struggles, sorrows and suffering in his own life, must be taken seriously if he teaches us these things. This is not some pie-in-the-sky Pollyanna speaking to us, but one who knows how hard life can be.
Let us rejoice! Not just on the Third Sunday of Advent but every day of our lives.
—Fr. Mike Comer
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