3rd Sunday of Advent
Gaudete Sunday, the joyous Sunday in the middle of Advent.
Bibelsk grunnlag
John sends word from prison: "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" Jesus answers by pointing to the signs: "The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them" (Matt 11:2-6, Luke 7:18-23). Jesus' testimony about John: "Among those born of women there has arisen no one greater."
Betydning
Joy breaks through in the midst of waiting and preparation. Jesus' answer to John shows that the Messiah did not come as a political conqueror, but as a healer and liberator. The signs he points to are the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies — God's kingdom breaks in through mercy, not power.
GT-forbindelser
Isaiah 35:1-10 — the wilderness shall rejoice and blossom; the holy way is opened. Isaiah 61:1-3 concerning the anointing of the Lord's Spirit: to preach good news to the poor, to bind up those who have a broken heart. Zephaniah 3:14-17: "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save."
Liturgisk kontekst
Called "Gaudete" after the introit from Phil 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord always!" Some traditions use the liturgical color rose on this Sunday instead of purple, and the third Advent candle may be rose. A joyful interruption in the solemnity of Advent.
Historie
The Gaudete tradition dates back to the Middle Ages. The rose candle symbolizes a relaxation of fasting. In Rome, it was customary for the pope to bless a golden rose on this Sunday.