Gaudete

Joy and sadness do not always come together. But it did happen to me once upon a time in the Advent season. A loved-one died while another loved-one gave birth on the evening before the Gaudete Sunday. The coming and the going of people in my life was like a roller-coaster of feelings. I was happy, at the same time I was also very sad.

The following morning, it was already the third Sunday of Advent, the gospel reading struck me in a profound way. In the readings, I hear about the doubts of John the Baptist and how he dealt with them.

In the past, I have always known that the theme of Advent is focused on the coming of Jesus but on that particular Sunday, the readings for Gaudete Sunday deal with rejoicing in the Lord as well as the mission of John the Baptist which in effect has become the mission too of those who believe that Jesus will come again.

While I was feeling sad and lonely, the gospel was telling me to rejoice because I was anticipating the birth of Jesus. This was reflected in the Scriptures. John the Baptist’s mission was to prepare for the coming of the Messiah who is “the Lord, the King of Israel” while mine is to prepare myself for the coming of the Messiah into my heart who was grieving at that time.

In my sadness, Gaudete has become an imperative word. It was commanding me to rejoice. I was not really into rejoicing despite the Christmas songs and the Christmas decors around me. Yet, that Gaudete Sunday reflection has cried out loud and clear in my heart that people must rejoice because our hope is in Jesus who is stronger than death.

That was the Gaudete Sunday of my life long time ago. The coming and the going of people I love dearly; and most especially the coming of Jesus into my heart to keep me away from sadness.