Gospel: Gaudete Sunday

Today marks the Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday and represented by the pink candle in the Advent Wreath. The Gospel reading will come from the account of St Luke (click here for the Mass readings from the USCCB).

This Sunday's Gospel continues last week's focus on St John the Baptist and his role in preparing the way for Christ. Recall that last week's reading describe St John's appearance in the desert and established his connection with the prophetic tradition of Israel. If we were to read St Luke's Gospel continuously, we would learn about St John the Baptist challenging the crowds who came to him and calling them to show evidence of their repentance. St John the Baptist tells his listeners that they cannot rely on their lineage as Israelites because children of Abraham can be raised from stones. Repentance, rather, must be observable in one's actions. Here, St Luke is continuing to set up two important themes of his Gospel message: the Christian faith is expressed in one's actions, and the call to salvation is extended to everyone, Jews and Gentiles.

In today's Gospel reading, the crowds ask St John the Baptist for specifics. What evidence of repentance is required? St John replies by naming concrete actions. Crowds should share their food and cloaks; tax collectors should be just; soldiers should ask fairly. The concern for justice is a hallmark of St Luke's Gospel.

When the crowd begins to wonder if St John the Baptist might be the Messiah, St John the Baptist interprets his baptism and makes it clear that his ministry is in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. St John the Baptist knows his place and role in God's plan of salvation. By encouraging the crowd to act similarly in accordance with their stations in life, St John the Baptist's teaching suggest that each person has a role to play in God's plan of salvation. It is the great mystery of our salvation that God permits and even asks for human cooperation in his divine plans.

Gaudete is a Latin word that means "rejoice." The name is taken from the entrance antiphon for Sunday's Mass, which is also echoed in today's second reading from St Paul's letter to the Philippians. The pink candle is a reminder that the Advent season is a season of joy because our salvation is already at hand.

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