Sermon for the Third Sunday in Advent
“What went ye out into the wilderness to see?
Jesus’ question to the multitude in the wilderness concerning John the Baptist is equally his question to us in the wilderness of our contemporary world. It is complemented, I think, by Mary’s questions at the Annunciation about “what manner of salutation this should be” and “how shall this be seeing as I know not a man?” Advent is the season of questions which open us out to the truth of God coming to us as Word, as Judge, and as Light. On this Sunday, there is a change of emphasis, a kind of lightening of the darkness even as we enter into the darkest week and day of nature’s year with the near approach of the winter solstice.
This Sunday is sometimes called Gaudete Sunday, the term derives from an introit anthem taken from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians which we also hear in the Epistle reading for next Sunday. The emphasis is altogether on rejoicing. Gaudete means Rejoice!
The third candle on our Advent wreath is rose or pink coloured suggesting a lightening of the purple or violet colour which symbolizes the penitential aspect of Advent. In some places, too, the vestments are rose-coloured for this Sunday. Gaudete Sunday in Advent has its parallel with Laetare Sunday in Lent which is another word for rejoice. But the rose or pink colour also signals the special role of Mary in the divine work of human redemption, something which is captured in many of the carols and hymns of the season such as the lovely 15th century German Marian carol, Es ist ein Ros entstprungen, ‘Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming,’ especially as set to Michael Praetorius’s 1609 harmonization of a sixteenth century melody.
It is hauntingly beautiful, at once reflective and joyful. The image of a rose in bloom “mitten im kalten Winter, wohl zu der halben Nacht’, ‘amid the cold of winter when half spent was the night,’ is especially lovely and moving. The second verse underlies the theological theme which complements our readings today; at once the fulfillment of prophecy and the role and place of Mary in the redemption of our humanity. “Isaiah ‘twas foretold it, / the Rose I have in mind; / With Mary we behold it, the virgin mother kind. / To show God’s love aright, / She bore to men a Saviour, / When half spent was the night.”
