This Sunday is traditionally called Gaudete Sunday, after the day's introit: Gaudete in Domino semper, iterum dico, Gaudete (Ph 4:4) (Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice).
Today, this theme is developed more fully in the second reading, which is taken from 1 Thessalonians. It also begins with the greeting and the imperative "Rejoice always."
Let's take a closer look at this reading and what the exhortation to "rejoice" means.
The text begins with "Rejoice always." Because it is a work of grace, this type of joy is more fully understood as serene, confident, and stable, a joy that is not rooted simply in the passing moods of our fallen human state.
The text continues by identifying three fundamental ways our joy can become both stable and deeply rooted in our personality and psyche. In fact, the text does not just command us to always rejoice, but it tells us how to achieve it. Let's examine these three means.
I. PERSEVERANCE IN PRAISE – The text says: "Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit." We thus see the first three foundations of permanent rejoicing. Let's take them a bit out of order.
Grateful (in all circumstances give thanks) – Thanksgiving is an important discipline that trains our mind to focus on reality. We tend to be negative, perhaps due to our fallen nature, but the reality is that every day, trillions of things go right and only a few go wrong. You may think this is an exaggeration, but it is not. Think of everything that must happen for each cell in your body. Add to that all the things on this earth – and even in the entire universe – that must be perfectly balanced for you and me to be here, alive and thriving. It is not an exaggeration to speak of trillions.
However, if we are not careful, we focus on the handful of things that go wrong each day. It is true that some of them can sometimes seem serious (though they usually are not). Nevertheless, even the most serious incidents cannot deny the reality of the billions of things that went well.
By giving thanks, our mind focuses on the countless blessings we enjoy. Some of the setbacks of a day may even be blessings in disguise.
This is why we are asked to give thanks in all circumstances. Daily thanksgiving disciplines our mind to focus on the astonishing number of blessings. What you feed grows, so if you feed the negative, it will grow; but if you feed the positive, it will grow and become an important foundation of stable joy in our life. Yes, give thanks in all circumstances.
Pray (pray without ceasing) – Prayer is also a discipline of the mind. Paul does not mean we must stay in a chapel all day. He means we must lead a normal Christian life, that is, live in conscious contact with God at every moment of our day. To the extent that we are aware of God's presence and in a dialogue of love with Him throughout the day, our joy is deeper and more stable. Thus, through this permanent sense of His presence, we are able to "rejoice always."
Filled with the Spirit (Do not quench the Spirit) – The fact that such gifts (permanent prayer and thanksgiving) are "the will of God for us" means God wants to grant us these gifts. Therefore, we should not quench the Spirit, who urges us to seek these things. On the contrary, we should heed His promptings and seek these gifts, and even pester God to obtain them. Too often, we quench the Spirit by not taking seriously the promises He offers us in Jesus Christ.
We are not convinced that the Spirit can give us an entirely new life and that He can deepen our prayer and gratitude, so we do not even ask. We also stifle the Spirit by cluttering our life with endless distractions, never sitting still long enough to listen to God's still, small voice. If we fan the gifts of God's love, the Holy Spirit will kindle in us a fire that will never go out. As the gifts of His love (including deeper prayer and constant gratitude) take root, our joy deepens and we can "rejoice always."
II. PERSPECTIVE THROUGH THE PROPHET – The text says: "Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good."
First, the phrase "prophetic utterances" refers to Scripture itself. Scripture is a prophetic interpretation of reality. It describes the world as it is and gives a clear vision of it. It is an antidote to the confused and murky assumptions of worldly thinking which, at best, grope in the darkness and, at worst, are deceptive and erroneous.
We must in no way despise the Word of God, but rather accept it wholeheartedly. To the extent that we do this, we are assured of God's ultimate victory, His truth, and His kingdom. Our own victory is also set forth in the paschal mystery of God's Word, in which every cross, faithfully borne, produces for us an incomparable weight of glory (cf. 2 Cor 4:17). This vision, this prophetic interpretation of reality, produces in us a serene joy that allows us to "rejoice always."
By "prophetic utterances" is also meant the teachings of the Church, the words of the Church Fathers, and the teachings of the saints through the ages. There is a great deposit of faith that has been carefully collected and lovingly transmitted from apostolic times. The dogmas and doctrines of the faith are like the precious fragments gathered by the apostles after the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Indeed, the Lord had told them that nothing should be wasted. We too must seek all the prophetic instructions of our Mother the Church, letting nothing fall to the ground.
The Fathers and saints have left us wonderful testimonies that we must neither despise nor ignore. With the Church, they utter wisdom and proclaim victory to every believer. In the laboratory of their own lives, they tested the Word of God and found it true. To this number are added many trustworthy people of our time who teach us the Word of God. These include parents, priests, religious, and holy men and women who have inspired us. To the extent that we let the Church and the saints teach us, as well as the trustworthy souls of our time, to the extent that we do not despise these prophetic declarations, the foundation of our joy becomes more secure and we can always rejoice.
III. PROGRESS TOWARD PERFECTION – The text says: "Refrain from every kind of evil. May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it."
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The greatest source of sadness in our life, the greatest killer of joy, is our sin. To the extent that we indulge in it, our joy withers, but to the extent that we allow the Lord to deliver us from sin and make us increasingly holy, our joy becomes deeper and more lasting. The words "holy" and "whole" are not far apart. As we become more complete, more perfect, more free from sin, more holy and blameless, our joy deepens and we can increasingly "rejoice without ceasing." God will do this for us if we want it and if we ask Him.
We see, then, that the mandate, the exhortation to "rejoice always" is much more than a command to whip ourselves into a high emotional state. It is rather a call to a stable and serene joy, rooted in prayerful gratitude, a mind transformed by God's truth, and growing holiness. Let the Lord's promise be fulfilled in you. For He said,
Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete (Jn 15:9-11).
This homily was originally published in English by Monsignor Charles Pope – ADW – Article Link.