I must admit that there are some spectacular sunrises and sunsets here along the Upper Eastern Shore, a few of which I catch glimpses of while crossing the North Street Bridge. Lately, it has struck me that right before the sun rises each morning in the winter’s chill, the purplish sky takes on a tint of pink (or “rose,” as the Church calls it), and that rose color starts to blend with the darker shades surrounding it as the light dawns on the horizon.
This Third Week of Advent, often known as Gaudete Sunday, involves the lighting of the rose-colored candle and the wearing of the rose-colored vestments, all pointing to the fact that we as Christian disciples are called to embrace the joy of knowing that our Savior has come to us and is now present to us in Word, Sacrament and community. It is He, the Light of the World, who scatters the darkness of sin and death, and the One who in His mercy has saved us and made us His daughters and sons. So, of course, we must break-out the color rose in order to celebrate the Gift we have been given in Christ, the One for whom we long.
In the days ahead, may we rejoice knowing that we are loved by a God who longs for us, too, and never stops seeking us, especially in our moments of struggle and doubt. Sometimes it only takes a December sunrise to remind us of that love.