Today is the third Sunday in Advent, Gaudete (gow-DAY-tay) Sunday.  The day takes its common name from the first word of the introit of this day’s Mass:

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete. Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus enim prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestræ innotescant apud Deum. Benedixisti Domine terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Jacob.

This may be translated as: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. Lord, you have blessed your land; you have turned away the captivity of Jacob.” Philippians 4:4–6; Psalm 85 (84):1

Wikipedia

Rose colored vestments may be worn instead of violet and you probably have a rose-colored candle in your Advent wreath for today.  Why rose?  I like to think of it in terms of a sunrise.  In that time between darkness and day, the sky is often a beautiful pink color.  This transition is a little like the third Sunday in Advent.  We’re past the half-way point and it’s time for a little encouragement in our time of extra Advent sacrifices.  Which brings me to the next point:

How’s your Advent going?  We started out with extra prayers and sacrifices, Advent calendars and Jesse Tree readings, and it’s possible some of that has fallen to the wayside during this busy month.  No matter where you are, I’d like to encourage you to rejoice today in the good that has happened and pick it all up again for these last couple weeks before Christmas.  It’s not too late to continue to prepare your family for a deeper relationship with Jesus!

(Thanks to B for sharing the photo and I’d like to mention how great it is that her Jesse Tree and Advent calendar are down low at a preschooler’s level.)