“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.”

– Philippians 4:4

Today, the rhythm of Advent softens.

The penitential violet gives way – just slightly – to rose. The music lifts. The Church exhales. And we are reminded that joy is not something we wait for at the end of the road… it is something that quietly meets us on the road.

This is Gaudete Sunday – from the Latin gaudete, meaning rejoice. And the third candle we light is the candle of joy.

Not the loud, fleeting joy the world celebrates.

But the deep, steady joy that comes from knowing Who is coming.

Why Rose Sunday Matters

Rose Sunday is not a break from Advent – it is a promise within it.

The Church, in her wisdom, knows that waiting can feel heavy. That longing can ache. That hope can grow weary. And so, midway through Advent, she gently lifts our chin and says:

“Look again. He is closer than you think.”

Rose is not the color of arrival – it is the color of nearness.

Joy enters not because everything is resolved, but because God is faithful, and His promises are already unfolding. Joy is not the absence of sorrow. One of the greatest misconceptions about Christian joy is that it requires ease, certainty, or emotional lightness. But Scripture tells a different story.

St. Paul urges us to rejoice not from comfort, but from imprisonment. Mary sings the Magnificat not after everything is understood, but while her future is uncertain. Christ Himself endures the Cross “for the joy set before Him.”

Christian joy declares that suffering does not get the final word. That grief and hope can coexist. That God is working even when we cannot yet see how.

Joy is not pretending things are fine. Joy is trusting that God is good.

The Candle of Joy in a Season of Waiting

When we light the rose candle, we are not celebrating what has already happened – we are celebrating what is guaranteed. Joy, in Advent, is a posture of the heart. It is choosing to believe that:

God is nearer than He appears Waiting is not wasted Silence is not abandonment Darkness does not cancel dawn

Joy whispers, “Hold on.”

Perhaps this Advent has not felt gentle for you. Maybe joy feels inaccessible – buried beneath grief, disappointment, exhaustion, or unanswered prayers. If so, Rose Sunday is not asking you to force cheerfulness or manufacture peace. It is simply inviting you to receive.

Joy does not demand effort. It asks for openness. Sometimes joy looks like quiet endurance. Sometimes it looks like gratitude for small mercies. Sometimes it looks like resting in the truth that God sees you fully – and still draws near. Even longing itself can be a form of joy, when it is directed toward Christ.

A Gentle Invitation for This Week

As you move into the latter half of Advent, consider letting joy be simpler than you expect.

• Sit with the rose candle in silence
• Pray with Philippians 4:4–7
• Write down where you’ve seen God’s faithfulness this year, even in small ways
• Allow yourself moments of beauty without guilt
• Thank God – not just for what He has done, but for what He will do

Joy grows best when it is not rushed.

I invite you to ask yourself this week: “Where am I resisting joy because things are not yet resolved? What would it look like to trust God’s nearness instead of demanding certainty? How has God already been faithful in this season of waiting?”

A Prayer for Rose Sunday

Lord,

Teach my heart to rejoice – not because life is perfect, but because You are present.

When joy feels distant, remind me that You are near. When waiting feels heavy, anchor me in hope. When I am tempted to believe that darkness defines the story, help me remember that You are already on Your way.

Let my joy be rooted not in circumstances, but in the unshakable promise of Emmanuel – God with us.

Amen.