Of the four Sundays in Advent, Advent 3 is perhaps the one most rife with traditions in many congregations. Gaudete Sunday gets its name from the opening words of the Latin introit antiphon for the Third Sunday in Advent in the Roman Catholic Church, “Rejoice (Gaudete) in the Lord always.” It is also sometimes called Rose Sunday because it was appropriate for the celebrant of the Mass to wear rose-colored vestments. Today, this tradition is reflected in many Protestant congregations through the lighting of the pink candle on the Advent wreath.

No matter what your community calls this day, it is often the Sunday when we set aside some of the seriousness of Advent and bring out the joyful music. Read, pray, sing, and bless one another as a people who, in the midst of all that is wrong in the world, choose to live the good news together.