Joy that Refuses to be Quite
The third candle in the Advent Wreath is different.
It’s pink instead of purple — a small but intentional interruption in a season of waiting. On the Third Sunday of Advent, we as the church dare to say rejoice even before the waiting is over. We call it Gaudete Sunday — a word that means rejoice — not because everything is perfect, but because joy is already breaking through.
That matters this year.
Because joy can feel complicated right now. The world is heavy. Many of us are tired. Some are grieving. Others are anxious, healing, uncertain, or stretched thin. Joy can feel like something meant for other people — or for another time.
But Advent joy is not shallow happiness.
Biblical joy is deeper than a good mood or a fleeting moment of cheer. Joy is a holy defiance — a decision to trust that God is still at work even when circumstances suggest otherwise. Joy is rooted not in what is easy, but in what is true.
The Scriptures for this week often pair joy with honesty. They don’t deny pain. They don’t ignore injustice. Instead, they proclaim that God is near — and that nearness changes everything.
Joy shows up when we realize we are not abandoned. Joy takes root when we remember that God’s promises are still unfolding. Joy grows when we see signs of life in places we thought were barren. Joy right now looks like laughter that surprises us.
It looks like gratitude in the middle of struggle. It looks like choosing hope again, even when we’re tired of hoping. Joy looks like showing up anyway. Like singing even when our voices crack. Like trusting that light is stronger than darkness.
On this third Sunday of Advent, we don’t pretend the waiting is over. We simply pause long enough to notice that God is already here. Joy doesn’t erase the waiting — it sustains us through it.
The candle burns a little brighter. The color shifts. The tone lifts. And joy — real, grounded, resilient joy — reminds us why we wait in the first place. See you Sunday!
Peace, Pastor Tracy