Signs and Truths

The Third Sunday in Advent, often called Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday, is perhaps one of the most paradoxical Sundays in the liturgical calendar. Here we are in the middle of Advent, the days growing longer and darker, the tension of the already-and-not-yet coming of Christ at the forefront of our worship, and then—Rejoice! Light the pink candle; let the musicians take charge; let’s sing and be glad! It’s jarring, isn’t it? But it’s also fitting. We need joy as a companion on our journey. Perhaps we need it more than ever when darkness feels close at hand, literally or metaphorically. We can learn a lot from darkness. We need it, but we also need the light. We need the balance of sadness and joy, grief and rejoicing. We need to know that even when we can’t find joy in our own hearts, we can somehow find it in community together.

In today’s scripture passage, John the Baptist wants to know the truth about Jesus, and Jesus replies with (my paraphrase), “Well, what do you notice? What am I actually doing? The truth of who I am is in what I do.” So, worship planners, what do you notice? What is Jesus doing among us? What is the truth about God that your congregation needs to witness in this season of Advent?

Most congregations have set traditions for Gaudete Sunday. For many, this is a significant music Sunday. You might sing a lot of hymns as a congregation or have the choir sing a cantata. You might have extra instrumentalists who enliven the storytelling and prayers of the community. All of this is good and right and beautiful. And we want to encourage you not to jump ahead to Christmas too fast. It can be tempting to make this a bit of a pre-Christmas celebration. We sing of the birth of Jesus, and then next week, we put him back in the womb until Christmas Eve.

I’m not saying it’s wrong to sing about Jesus’ birth on Gaudete Sunday. Instead, let today be about recognizing the signs of God’s truth in the story of our waiting from the prophets to Elizabeth to Mary to the shepherds to John the Baptist…to now. Today is a day to rejoice in the ways Truth seeps in through the cracks and lights up our waiting with hope and joy. So, fill the altar with things that help us find our way—compasses, maps, scripture. Fill the space with singing and praying as we worship God, who saves and comes to live among us. Fill the hearts of the gathered community with the joy that comes from following the truth of God’s love as we wait for the coming of Christ.