Friday, December 21, 2012

Gaudete pink and blue Christmas

Cathédrale Sainte Trinité
Port-au-Prince
Advent III: Gaudete Sunday

It's not everyone who gets to wear a pink chasuble. Some of us, however, did this past Sunday, Advent III. You've seen the Advent wreaths with three purple and one pink candle: this is the liturgical equivalent. This was Gaudete or Rose Sunday. Gaudete: Rejoice.  As the Advent hymn says, Rejoice, rejoice, believers, and let your lights appear.  We wait in joyful expectation of the coming of Christ - at Christmas, at the end of time, and in our hearts now.

from the Advent in Two Minutes video posted in an earlier entry

At the same time, we have some blue around us - not just Sarum Advent blue, but a blue Christmas.  There are so many among us dealing with loss; Christmas is a hard time of year for some, and I wonder if those of us who absolutely love Christmas (and I am among them) always notice.  As a matter of fact, I've been preparing for a funeral in the morning, and someone else is dying; it is also the one-week anniversary of the shootings. Grandmere Mimi, at Wounded Bird, has written about this today: http://thewoundedbird.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-longest-night-or-blue-christmas.html.  Go pray with her and others for all those who are grieving this Christmas. 

found at http://cleansockshope.com/2012/11/09/clean-socks-pca-blue-christmas-toy-drive/

And then remember: joy and grief are not mutually exclusive.  Joy has nothing to do with optimism or with things going well.  It has everything to do with the presence of God.  Veni, Emmanuel, God with us.

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