Gaudete, rejoice! Today marks Gaudete Sunday, often denoted by the rose vestments worn by the priest and deacon (definitely rose and not pink!) The name Gaudete Sunday comes from the introit or entrance antiphon of the Sunday Mass, Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, Gaudete—”Rejoice in the Lord always; I say it again, rejoice!” It’s phrased as a command. Usually when we think about the commands of our faith, we think about the harder things like fasting on Ash Wednesday or abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent. But there are also times when we are commanded to feast and rejoice! Anyone not looking happy will be punished! (Not really.) The reason for our joy on this particular Sunday is that Christ’s coming is very near. In just 8 days, we will be celebrating the great feast of the Lord’s Nativity. We will be celebrating the birth of Jesus, the one who will triumph over sin and the powers of darkness, the one who will never be overcome. The Christian life, more than penance and mortification, is first and foremost a life of joy! Because this man Jesus faced the very worst that evil had to offer, and put it all under His feet, and now this man reigns as Lord of my life. Pretty good news! The day of His birth is most certainly a day of celebration, a day of joy, a day when sadness and gloom are unthinkable. That day is drawing near, so we rejoice. We give thanks to Him, we prepare our hearts for His coming, and we wait with joyful anticipation for His coming at Christmas.