My friends,

By now, most of us have begun the annual rituals of the “Holiday Season”, which for the non-religious world has been into since late October. The admonition of that world is: SHOP more, BUY more, EAT more, DRINK more and for many of us, WORRY more.

As we now are more than halfway through this Advent, we have become acquainted with the new liturgical year and the color of this season…purple. Yet, this week, notice the adornments of our sacred space have changed. The color change is obvious, and yes real men do wear pink, I mean “rose”. It is Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete”, Latin for “Rejoice” is the theme of this week and our first reading uses the word twice and some form of “Joy” four times. How do we find Joy when there is so much to do, so much to prepare and so many people to see?

A few years ago, I had new neighbors move in next door. The couple was nice and friendly, but culturally different,  African immigrants. A week or so after Thanksgiving, and as I walked around the neighborhood with my dog, almost all the houses had some type of “Holiday” display of decorations. While many houses were adorned with wreaths and lights, others with large inflatable characters, the new neighbors’ house remained as it was the rest of the year, with no Holiday décor.

That year, one night of this week (Gaudete Sunday), walking around the block with my little buddy, I saw a simple message in their front window, just three simple letters J. O. Y. , outlined in larger white bulbs that made that simple message visible to all who passed by… A day or two later on the same route, as I approached the home the message had changed to “OY”. I got a chuckle at that, even took a picture to send to my high school Jewish friend Paul (you have to know our fraternal humor). Turns out the letters were lit independently and someone forgot to turn on the “J”. I recalled that this week preparing for this bulletin reflection. The funny thing is that ironically that Yiddish word, “OY” accurately describes what many of us feel at this time of frantic Holiday preparation. According to dictionary.com, OY is “a term used to express dismay, pain, annoyance, grief, etc…” While many will be focused on finding the perfect gift, they will too be missing the “J”, of Jesus, whose birth we celebrate at the end of Advent. The missing “J” is Jesus who talks about this Joy in John 15:7-11. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”

This week we, the faithful, are given a spiritual “speed bump” of sorts. A time to remember to slow down, and realize that without Jesus there may be happiness, which is fleeting, but not Joy.

Dear God, you know that our hearts long for the joy and gladness promised by life with you. Help us to remember that you are with us always, and that our hearts will rest only when they rest with you.

Holy Spirit, guide the choices we make throughout this week. Help us endure hardship. Remind us to be patient. Stifle our tendency to complain. Help us realize how much we owe the creator for all we have and all we are.

Father in heaven, we offer thanks to you for sending John the Baptist to prepare the way for the coming of the savior. Help us to heed the Baptist’s message to repent and to renew our commitment to live in holiness.

Come Lord Jesus. So often we are impatient for your coming, yet we are fearful of living our lives as one with you. Come and ease our anxiety. Come and reward our patience. Come and remove our sorrow. Our communities and our world eagerly await the day of your birth. Amen.

Let us prepare the most important place, our hearts to receive Him and His Joy.

Deacon Frank