The introit to the Mass this weekend is Rejoice! And this “rejoicing” comes to us as we enter into the Third Sunday of Advent were flowers, more upbeat music and organ usage—along with rose-colored vestments for the priest and rose-colored candles for the altar and procession—reminds us that we are nearer to the birth of Christ and the coming of the fullness of the Christmas Season.

But this joy and rejoicing goes well beyond the liturgical environment and extends to the themes of the readings and the practice of our faith: we should more and more be experiencing the joy of faith—knowing that God loves us and desires us and decided to send His Only Begotten Son into the world to become fully man, sharing in our human condition, so that He could provide for us examples of how we are to act like Christ in this world of ours—building up the Kingdom of God in the present world, and preparing our souls for the Second Coming of the Lord and His gift of Eternal Life.