Noticeably, there’s a sudden shift from a somber mood to a festive atmosphere marked by the decorations in the worship environment as well as the overall tone of the season. The altar is draped with pink cloth and now adorned with poinsettias. In our Catholic Community, flowers will arrive next week. The presider should have worn rose- colored vestment but instead settled with purple as there’s none available. We’ve reached the midpoint of advent.

We just had two great Marian celebrations that is, the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe. The blessed mother occupies a prominent role on advent along with John the Baptist. Their examples point to Christ and help us prepare for the already and not yet. I don’t think there’s a need to put into words why and how should we celebrate with joy and gladness. When I pulled my car out of the open garage in St Luke close to midnight on Dec. 11, I thought the road would be quiet and yet, as I drove in the alley, I heard drums and loud songs and I bet you, the celebration across the border had just started. Following the Mass, someone whispered to me, Father, it’s the native culture Manañita that waits for the sunrise.

The 3 ^rd Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete Sunday and joy is the overriding theme. Zephaniah’s invitation to shout for joy, sing on top of our voices, be glad and exult with all your heart might be a little overbearing to many of us who still have to hang our decorations and complete errands including shopping. And yet, finished or not with our laundry list, St. Paul tells us to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again, rejoice!

The joy of advent doesn’t simply come from the enjoyment, pleasures and comfort of life but naturally arises from the inner experience of God’s love in successes as well as in failures. It emerges from acts of kindness and generosity rendered particularly to the neediest among us. It emanates from forgiveness and reconciliation. It happens whenever we decide not to seek vengeance and retaliation in any sort of falling out in relationships. Genuine joy is rooted from the lived experience with the holy one. It is not taught in classrooms. It’s in our Catholic DNA and therefore deeply embedded. Don’t let anyone take this joy in you. Halfway in the season, let’s bring out this deep sense of joy! Amen