Finding Joy on the Third Sunday of Advent: A Guide to Gaudete Sunday

The Advent season is a time to wait, watch and prepare for Jesus. Many churches light candles one-by-one on an Advent wreath in anticipation of Christ’s birth and his return. But how well do your congregants understand this season and its traditions? And do they view it (and use it) as a time for spiritual preparation and Christian living?

One way to help church members appreciate this season is to explore the meaning of each Advent candle. The four weekly themes of hope, peace, joy, and love serve as excellent preaching topics in the leadup to Christmas Day.

Let’s look at the third Sunday of Advent, when we light the wreath’s pink candle to symbolize joy. Also known as Gaudete Sunday, this occasion gets its name from the Latin word gaudere, meaning “rejoice.”

In the middle of hectic December, Gaudete Sunday (December 14 this year) reminds Christians that true joy isn’t contingent or conditional. Instead, it’s rooted in the Incarnation — and in the salvation that our newborn Savior offers to all. This type of joy is eternal, a concept represented by the round, continuous shape of the Advent wreath itself.

Third Sunday of Advent: Finding Joy in Jesus

The shift to a pink candle for the third week of Advent marks celebration amid a long period of waiting. In that way, Gaudete Sunday is similar to Lent’s Laetare Sunday.

Advent’s “Joy Sunday” reminds Jesus’ followers that joy is possible — and commanded — even during difficult seasons of longing. The name Gaudete comes from the opening words of the Latin introit Gaudete in Domino semper, translated “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). As St. Paul teaches throughout the New Testament, this type of joy is deep and intentional, not superficial and haphazard.

People might interchange “joy” and “happiness” in daily conversations, but the Bible portrays them quite differently. Happiness often fluctuates depending on circumstances, such as our health, relationships and finances. True joy, meanwhile, springs from the goodness and grace of our heavenly Father. It is anchored in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ — events that couldn’t have happened without his birth.

Consider examples from Scripture. James 1:2-3 says, “Whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy,” emphasizing that joy and hardship can coexist. “The joy of the LORD is your strength,” according to Nehemiah 8:10, pointing to power independent of circumstance.

In the Christmas story, an angel proclaims “good news of great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10) when Jesus is born, linking the concept of rejoicing to Immanuel’s arrival. Near the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus offers the disciples his own joy, saying it is made complete in relationship with him (see John 15:11).

No pain or disappointment can wipe out genuine joy, because the Holy Spirit sustains and restores it. For Christians, everlasting joy remains even when happiness fades.

10 Ways to Help Congregants Find Joy During Advent

The burdens of daily life don’t suddenly disappear once the Christmas lights flicker on. Many members of your church family enter Advent facing illness, job loss, broken homes, debts or grief. They need church leaders to regularly point to the joy of Christ — and to encourage heartfelt rejoicing.

Use these tips to guide your congregation toward true joy on Gaudete Sunday and beyond:

1. Celebrate Gaudete Sunday in worship.

Explain the meaning of the Advent wreath’s pink candle. Sing hymns about rejoicing. Present a children’s message or object lesson about true joy. After preaching a joy-themed sermon, have someone share an experience of God’s faithfulness amid hardship.

2. Explain that joy is a gift from God.

Knowing that joy comes from Jesus is freeing. It removes guilt and pressure, especially during the holiday season. Because joy is a heart attitude and not manufactured cheerfulness, people can find joy in God’s presence.

3. Be honest about real-life struggles.

Don’t gloss over people’s pain during Advent. From the pulpit, address the weighty challenges of conflict, anxiety and disappointment. Use the Advent candles to teach about God bringing light into darkness. Explain that the pink Advent candle represents heavenly joy breaking through earthly sorrows.

4. Consider the first Christmas.

Remind worshipers about the fears that Mary and Joseph must have faced. Imagine the fright of the shepherds as they guarded their flocks on Christmas Eve. Share how God protected the Holy Family from danger as they fled Herod’s wrath. Just as God watched over his Son — the “little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay” — he guards his beloved children today.

5. Focus on the big picture of Scripture.

Preach about how God weaves joy into his plan, from Old Testament prophecy to the Incarnation and Jesus’ resurrection. Because true joy is rooted in Christ’s coming (both at Christmas and in the future), celebrate the gospel’s promise of eternal life. In your church communications, share Bible verses and images that anchor joy in the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus.

6. Encourage people to be ambassadors of joy.

Our joy often increases when we turn our attention outward. That’s because acts of service and generosity move our focus away from our own circumstances. Serving also boosts gratitude as we share God’s love and reflect on his blessings.

7. Provide time for quiet.

Offer moments of stillness at church, such as a midweek Advent prayer service. Distribute Advent devotions, weekly Advent readings, or prayer prompts for families to use at home. That reminds people to pause the Christmas chaos to find joy in the Advent journey.

8. Discuss the meaning of Christmas joy.

Start Bible study conversations about how joy might differ between people who celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday versus those who observe it as a secular holiday. Ask, “What makes Advent and Christmas special for Christians?” and “How can we share the true joy of this season with others?”

9. Offer encouragement.

Notes, phone calls and prayers can reignite someone’s joy. This is especially true during the Christmas season, when people might feel forgotten or overwhelmed.

10. Make joy a habit.

Rather than striving for “perfect” Christmas events at church, rejoice together in Christian fellowship. Share prayers of gratitude and examples of God’s faithfulness during trials. Issue a weekly challenge to church members, encouraging them to spot God’s goodness and other reasons for joy. And don’t forget to model joy through your own words, attitudes and actions.

Gaudete Sunday: Again I Say, Rejoice!

The third Sunday of Advent offers many opportunities to point joy-starved people toward life-sustaining joy in Jesus. As the Advent wreath glows brighter each week, Gaudete Sunday shines a literal light on the Light of God, our reason for joy.

Christ is coming, and salvation is near. No news has ever been more joyous!