Gaudete!

[ermingarden]

It's the third Sunday of Advent: Gaudete Sunday!

Gaudete Sunday is one of my favorite days in the liturgical year. Gaudete means Rejoice! Advent is a penitential season, like Lent; the next-to-last Sunday of Advent, though, is a sort of celebratory foretaste of Christmas joy. That's reflected in the day's liturgical color, pink, which is a lightening or softening of the penitential purple.

It's also a perfect day to sing my favorite Christmas carol of all, "Gaudete, Christus est natus!" This year I made a Spotify playlist solely comprised of half a dozen different versions of the carol:

And here are the lyrics:

Chorus
Gaudete, gaudete!
Christus est natus
Ex Maria virgine,
gaudete!

Rejoice, rejoice! Christ is born of the Virgin Mary; rejoice!

Verses
Tempus adest gratiae
Hoc quod optabamus,
Carmina laetitiae
Devote reddamus.

The time of grace is here, what we have been wishing for. Let us faithfully offer songs of joy!

Deus homo factus est
Natura mirante,
Mundus renovatus est
A Christo regnante.

God is made human, and Nature marvels at it. The world is renewed by Christ who reigns.

Ezechielis porta
Clausa pertransitur,
Unde lux est orta
Salus invenitur.

Ezekiel's closed gate has been passed through; salvation is found where the light has risen.

Ergo nostra contio
Psallat iam in lustro;
Benedicat Domino:
Salus Regi nostro.

So may our congregation sing in the wilderness; may it bless the Lord: Salvation to our King.

(A brief note on the translation: Many other translators render "in lustro" as "in brightness," others as "for purification." However, if I were approaching this text without knowledge of other translations, I would take "lustrum" in its meaning of "wilderness," so the congregation sings in the midst of the wilderness, reflecting the idea of John the Baptist's voice crying out in the wilderness, which is itself a reflection of Isaiah.)


I have a term paper due by midnight tomorrow and exams Tuesday and Thursday, and I'm currently running on too little sleep and too much coffee, so I haven't exactly been feeling joyful. But Gaudete Sunday reminds me to take a breath and remember the many, many reasons I have to rejoice.

Comments

[rachelmanija]

Thank you! I will enjoy listening to that. I only know the Steeleye Span version.

[ermingarden]

My favorite is probably the version by The Sixteen; I also have a soft spot for the Anúna recording, since that's the first version I ever heard (it's on one of my mom's favorite Christmas albums). I hope you enjoy!

[troisoiseaux]

Good luck on your exams!

[ermingarden]

Thank you!!

[independence1776]

Best wishes for your exams. I'm glad you were able to find time to rejoice today.

[ermingarden]

Thank you!

[elwendell]

I've always loved the Steeleye Span version and can remember buying it on vinyl.

[ermingarden]

Wow! If I've learned anything from making this post, it's how many people on my f-list like Steeleye Span! In my case, I knew the carol first and only learned of the existence of Steeleye Span from hearing their version on YouTube a few years back.

[shirebound]

Best of luck this week with the paper and exams! What a relief it will be to get those behind you.

[ermingarden]

Thank you! I keep reminding myself: It'll all be over on Thursday...one way or another....

[oracne]

Fun fact: I do not think I ever heard this carol until I was in college and got into Steeleye Span. Now I adore it.

[ermingarden]

If I've learned anything from making this post, it's how many people on my f-list like Steeleye Span! In my case, I knew the carol first and only learned of the existence of Steeleye Span from hearing their version on YouTube a few years back.

[oracne]

Maddie Prior's Carnival Band is some of my favorite Xmas music.

[ermingarden]

Oh, I love Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band! I discovered their music...last year, maybe? Or the year before. Thanks for reminding me it's the right time of year to give them a listen again!

[hhimring]

Good luck with the paper and the exams!
And thank you for the playlist!

[ermingarden]

Thank you!
I hope you enjoy it!