The Joy That Shares: Finding Gaudete in Generosity

This week sits right in the middle of Advent, known as Gaudete—from the Latin word for "rejoice." The Church asks us to pause our penitential preparation and celebrate that Christ is drawing near. Zephaniah's prophecy captures this beautifully: "The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty saviour; he will rejoice over you with gladness." It's a stunning reversal—we're not just rejoicing in God, but He delights in us. Yet when crowds asked John the Baptist what they should do to prepare for the Messiah, his answer wasn't about religious practices. It was startlingly concrete: "Whoever has two tunics should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise." The gladness the Church invites us into flows from knowing God celebrates us right now, and that knowledge naturally spills over into how we treat others.

This creates an interesting challenge in our climate of abundance alongside anxiety. We're surrounded by material plenty, yet it never quite feels like enough. There's always the next upgrade, the better school placement, the nicer flat. Meanwhile, we pass migrant workers on our streets, elderly people collecting cardboard, families genuinely struggling. John's instruction sounds simple until we realise how tightly we grip our stability. What if we need it later? What if our kids miss out? The deeper spiritual truth is that contentment and generosity are connected in ways that defy our usual calculations. Those who've learnt to hold things loosely often seem more genuinely at peace than those constantly accumulating. It's not that possessions are wrong, but when our happiness depends on having just a bit more than we do now, we've made an idol that robs us of present satisfaction.

Perhaps this week we could identify one specific need around us and meet it through everyday giving: passing along clothes our children have outgrown, buying an extra meal for someone who's hungry, actually donating that household item we've been meaning to pass on. When talking with our kids about Christmas preparations, we might ask them to choose something from their own belongings to offer away, not because we're forcing sacrifice but because generosity is how we participate in God's delight. The Third Week of Advent reminds us that authentic happiness isn't found in finally having everything we want, but in discovering we already have enough to share.