Rejoice Always [Advent 3B - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24]
The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Rejoice Always Joy. Joy is the theme of this Third Sunday of the Advent season. This has long been the case in the Church. On this very Sunday, at the mid-point of this season of anticipation, each year, the introit of the old Latin mass would break the penitential silence of western Christendom with the stirring cry of “Guadete,” rejoice. Joy is the reason we don pink vestments today (vestments that we call rose-colored), on this third Sunday of Advent. Joy is the reason we light a pink candle today (we call it rose-colored), on this third Sunday of the Advent season. Joy is the reason this morning’s epistle lesson, taken from the end of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, is chosen for this particular Sunday – because it begins with the word that sets the tone: rejoice! Rejoice! Christmas is coming! The angels are about to ...