Today’s Sunday is commonly referred to as, “Gaudete Sunday.” It acquired this nickname from the first words of the Latin Introit (or the Entrance Antiphon): Gaudete in Domino semper - Rejoice in the Lord always! For the past two Sundays we have heard a beautiful dialogue between God and His people through the antiphons. On the first Sunday of Advent, the antiphon expressed humanity crying out to God begging Him for a Savior. On the second Sunday of Advent, the antiphon reflected God’s response to humanity’s cry, promising that a Savior is on the way. Today, the third Sunday of Advent, we are given the command to rejoice in response to God’s promise that a Savior is coming. For this reason, the deacon and priest both wear the color rose. Rose symbolizes the joyful anticipation of the new life that will come with our Messiah. It is a part of our faithfulness to the command to rejoice at the news of the coming of Jesus.

Joy, as St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Galatians, is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is one of the nine attributes of a person in total harmony with the Lord. There is a deep connection between the act of rejoicing and one’s relationship with God. In Biblical Greek, the word for joy and grace have the same root word: chaire. When the angel Gabriel greeted Mary at the Annunciation, a more literal translation of the angel’s greeting is: “Rejoice, one who is full of favor!” This greeting is so much more than a simple, “Hello,” or “Hey there.” It is a command given to Mary to physically manifest what is already internally, but invisibly present within her: God’s presence and favor. Because Mary is internally full of grace - in total union with God - He is now asking her to make that union visible through the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ.

In a way, you could say that joy is, ultimately, a choice. It is a decision to make seen what is unseen. Joy is the physical manifestation of our intimate relationship with God. Cardinal Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York once told a story about a visit he made to a hospice center for the homeless in Washington, D.C. run by the Missionaries of Charity (the Mother Teresa sisters) on Good Friday. While there he met a bedridden and emaciated man who was dying of AIDS. As he approached the man with the Cross for him to venerate, the nuns tried to stop him. Apparently, the man was very dangerous. He had previously been violent with the sisters, attempting to bite them and bring physical harm to them. However, Cardinal Dolan accepted the possible danger and approached the man with the Cross. Slowly and cautiously, he extended the crucifix, which the man grasped and kissed, and then fell back onto the bed with exhaustion.

The next day the man made a request for Cardinal Dolan to return to visit him. He wanted to be baptized. He wanted to become a Catholic. When Cardinal Dolan visited him on Holy Saturday, the man said to him, “I know nothing about Christianity or the Catholic Church. In fact, I have hated religion all my life. All I do know is that for three months I have been here dying. These sisters are always happy! When I curse them, they look at me with compassion in their eyes. Even when they clean up my vomit, bathe my sores, and change my diapers, they are smiling; when they spoon-feed me, there is a radiance in their eyes. All I know is that they have joy and I don't. When I ask them in desperation why they are so happy, all they answer is Jesus. I want this Jesus. Baptize me and give me this Jesus! Give me joy!” After hearing his response, Cardinal Dolan baptized him, confirmed him, anointed him, and gave him Holy Communion. The man died a few hours later on Easter morning.

Even though the sisters experienced many hardships and sufferings serving the poor, they never ceased expressing joy. They made a choice to discern and encounter the presence of Jesus Christ in the people they served and manifested their encounter with Christ to everyone around them. It was the hidden presence of Jesus and their response to His hidden presence that caused them to live differently - to live joyfully.  

Notice that the man in Cardinal Dolan’s story desired to be Christian because of the joy of the sisters. Their joy provided them an invaluable opportunity for evangelization - to tell someone about Jesus Christ. Their joy became the most powerful apologetic resource for the Catholic faith. The man knew nothing about Catholicism, but He knew Jesus, because the sisters revealed Jesus to Him through their joy.

Today is a great day for us to reflect on joy. How joyful have I been recently? Joy is intimately connected to our awareness of God’s presence in our life. The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of those who encounter Jesus. Where have I encountered Jesus recently? Have I been looking diligently for Him, or has my mind and heart been distracted by other things? If we aren’t discerning and encountering God’s presence in our daily life and His call to deeper union with Himself, our capacity to choose joy will be severely diminished.

If not joy, what do Christians have to offer the world? Without joy we have nothing attractive to offer those who are on a genuine search for God. Without joy we have no compelling reason to draw anyone into a relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church. Being a Christian is not the result of of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but an encounter with a person - Jesus Christ. Joy is the result of an encounter with Jesus, and the choice to mediate that encounter. Our world longs to witness this joy, to encounter the living God. Who will mediate this joy? Who will witness this Jesus? If not us, then who?

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