Gaudete Sunday
Gaudéte in Dómino semper: íterum díco, gaudéte: modéstia véstra nóta sit ómnibus hominibus: Dóminus prope est Nihil sollíciti sítis: sed in ómni oratióne petitiónes véstrae innotéscant apud Déum. Psalm ~ Benedixisti, Dómine, térram túam: avertisti captivitátem Jácob. Gloria Pátri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sáncto. Sicut érat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saécula saeculórum. Amen.
Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men: for the Lord is near. Have no anxiety, but in everything, by prayer let your petitions be made known to God. (Philippians 4: 4, 5)
Psalm ~ You have favored, O Lord, Your land; You have restored the wellbeing of Jacob. (Psalm 84:2)
Lets not forget, as we scurry in from the cold, that we have a visitor. Our imaginary parishioner is among us stamping the cold from his feet as vigorously as any of us. What might his thoughts be on this Gaudete Sunday?
“At least I spared a few thoughts for Advent this week. Of course, the cold weather helped. A subtle reminder from God that the birth of his Son is nigh! Ah, they light the pink candle today. That’s right, it is Gaudete Sunday. Now I know where that name comes from, it is the first word of the Introit. ‘Rejoice, the Lord is near’.”
“Odd though, the music is very reserved almost somber. It’s as if they are saying, ‘He’s not here yet’. True, Christmas is still two weeks away but I think they refer to more than the Liturgical calendar. I believe they mean us to think on the Second Coming.”
“It’s obvious that the Kingdom has not yet come. Jesus himself told us that, ‘His kingdom was not of this world.’ (I skip seasons, that’s Lent.) Still, there must be a way for us to break through to God’s Kingdom? Ah, sitting here in church it seems clear. Prayer and the sacraments can help even a sinner like me catch a glimpse of the Kingdom!”
“I’ll do my bit then to hasten the coming of the Kingdom. I will pray and receive the sacrament. I’ll even sing. Aquinas told us the ‘He who sings prays twice.’ We all like a bargain.”
Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men: for the Lord is near. Have no anxiety, but in everything, by prayer let your petitions be made known to God. (Philippians 4: 4, 5)
Psalm ~ You have favored, O Lord, Your land; You have restored the wellbeing of Jacob. (Psalm 84:2)
Lets not forget, as we scurry in from the cold, that we have a visitor. Our imaginary parishioner is among us stamping the cold from his feet as vigorously as any of us. What might his thoughts be on this Gaudete Sunday?
“At least I spared a few thoughts for Advent this week. Of course, the cold weather helped. A subtle reminder from God that the birth of his Son is nigh! Ah, they light the pink candle today. That’s right, it is Gaudete Sunday. Now I know where that name comes from, it is the first word of the Introit. ‘Rejoice, the Lord is near’.”
“Odd though, the music is very reserved almost somber. It’s as if they are saying, ‘He’s not here yet’. True, Christmas is still two weeks away but I think they refer to more than the Liturgical calendar. I believe they mean us to think on the Second Coming.”
“It’s obvious that the Kingdom has not yet come. Jesus himself told us that, ‘His kingdom was not of this world.’ (I skip seasons, that’s Lent.) Still, there must be a way for us to break through to God’s Kingdom? Ah, sitting here in church it seems clear. Prayer and the sacraments can help even a sinner like me catch a glimpse of the Kingdom!”
“I’ll do my bit then to hasten the coming of the Kingdom. I will pray and receive the sacrament. I’ll even sing. Aquinas told us the ‘He who sings prays twice.’ We all like a bargain.”
posted by STA - www.stthomasaquinaschurch.org | 12/12/2005 02:38:00 PM
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