“In the name of the one God, creator, redeemer and sanctifier” Amen.

Advent is a period that beckons us to watch, wait, and prayerfully prepare to celebrate the day that marks the birth of the Holy One. Notice on the Advent wreath there is a single rose color candle among the three blue candles. The rose-colored candle designates the third Sunday in Advent. This candle marks today as Gaudete Sunday, which means, “Rejoice ye” because even in the desert it is possible for flowers to bloom. The Prophet Isaiah said, “…the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall bloom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.”

God’s presence always remained near the Israelites. God restored the desert for the return of the exiled Israelites because it is God’s desire for all people to live in unity, joy, and peace among each other. The opportunity for a new life and a new way to live was given to them as a gift from God to establish a relationship with them and to build new relationships with each other as a faith community guided by God. Gone were to be the days of pagan deity worship.

Today, in our Old Testament reading from Zephaniah, the prophet paints a picture of restoration to the Israelites of what the day will be like as they embrace God as their King. God will deliver them from the Assyrian Empire. Not their pagan deities or idols. “The king of Israel, the Lord” on that day of restoration will say to Jerusalem: “The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory…I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. I will deal with all of your oppressors at that time.” God provides security to the outcast and the lame while all lost possessions are recovered and returned to Israel.

A window of expectant hope opened for the people of Israel with the key being the love of God for them. We are reminded that this same key of love is for our possession as well. We can hopefully expect promised liberation from fear and strength during hard times. Zephaniah further says, God “will rejoice over you with gladness”; God “will renew you in his love”; God “will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival.”

We can rejoice during advent in knowing that God sings, dances, and shouts for joy (copied and adapted from the Spirit Filled Bible) for us through the love of the chosen one who is to come and be within our midst always. Additionally, advent serves as a time, offering, to bring us out of sadness by turning it over to joy.

Charles de Foucauld wrote, “Our response is to rejoice in the infinite happiness of God and, on a lower scale, in our own crosses and to desire still more of them, for in them we have the privilege of imitating God and proving our love, and there is nothing dearer to the heart that loves. We will never lack either this happiness, or God or the Cross.” (Meditations of a Hermit by Charles de Foucauld in a Guide to Prayer, p.29). From today’s epistle, remember the words of Paul to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”


Let us pray. Using the words of our processional hymn and Apostle Paul: “Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art: dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.”(Charles Wesley, 1980 Hymnal, #66). “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” AMEN.