Hope on the Rose Sundays

Caitrin Bennett finds hope in the two Sundays of the Liturgical calendar when the priest wears rose garments: Laetare and Gaudete Sundays.

For the Jubilee of Hope, our writers reflect on prayer as a source of hope in their lives.

Two of my favorite Sundays of the year are Laetare and Gaudete Sunday. You know, the days when the priest wears “rose” (we all know it’s pink!). Each of these pink Sundays stands out at the end of a season of fasting and waiting, reminding us the end is in sight. Take courage!

Gaudete Sunday

Gaudete (“rejoice”) Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent, represented by the only pink candle on the Advent wreath. When I don’t think I can listen to “What Child is This?” or “People Look East” one more time, that pink candle reminds me that soon we'll be singing my favorite Christmas carol, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Jesus is on His way–He will be here imminently.

The Scripture behind Gaudete Sunday, Philippians 4:4, is very clear:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!

Don’t wait to rejoice when Christmas finally arrives. Rejoice always. Gaudete Sunday reminds me to embrace the period of waiting in joyful hope, trusting that God is working for our good in the lulls, too.

Laetare Sunday

Laetare Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent. While laetare also means “to rejoice,” there are some interesting nuances to this Latin word that differentiate it from gaudete. Ready to get nerdy and study some Latin?

Gaudete is a plural verb, literally translated to “all of you rejoice,” and it implies a louder, more visible celebration. “Gaudete” encourages Christians to sing and make music together, rejoicing in their coming Savior. “Laetare,” on the other hand, commands just one individual to rejoice in a quieter, more internal way. This makes sense to me. The following Sunday, Palm Sunday, incorporates more of the “gaudete” spirit, as we all sing hosanna to the Son of David. But Laetare Sunday is a day for me to rest in the quieter joy that comes from fasting, penance, and almsgiving.

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Waiting for Christmas or Easter to finally arrive is a little like waiting for Jesus to come again or to call us home. When life gets me down, I find myself praying this more often: “Come, Lord Jesus. Come quickly.” And He is indeed coming. I hope in that, and I know that joy will be unprecedented. But that doesn’t mean there can’t be joy right here, right now, in the monotony, messiness, and even anguish of this life. While we pray, fast, wait, and sometimes suffer, we can heed the Church’s reminders: gaudete, laetare. He will come; He will save. Hope and rejoice in that!