What is Gaudete Sunday?

Gaudete Sunday is the third sunday in Advent. While not universally observed in The Episcopal Church in the USA, it is commonly observed across the Anglican Communion. Here is some information about  Gaudete Sunday  from Wikipedia. The day takes its common name from the Latin word Gaudete ("Rejoice"), the first word of the introit of this day's Mass: Gaudete in Domino simper: 

Briefly, in parishes with Advent wreaths, there is rose/pink candle among the 4 candles  of the wreath. The other 3 purple candles represent the penitential nature of Advent while the rose candle represents the theme of  the day.........

What is Advent all about?

Well, there are many different answers but here is  a quick two minute video summary of Advent  by one of my favorite Anglican bloggers, The Anglican Curmudgeon.  At the very least, you will learn what Advent is NOT and what it should be!

MORE great Advent resources!  ENJOY!!

May your advent prepare your heart and mind for the coming of our Lord and Savior!

Lectio Divina- What is it?

It’s a new and also a VERY ANCIENT way TO READ the Bible,  hence an ancient Christian tradition. Reading the Bible is something with which most of us are familiar. But do we really think about how we read and then respond to Scripture? How do we allow ourselves to be impacted by it?

Contemplative Bible reading (or Lectio Divina, as it is often called) is an ancient method of approaching Scripture (and other Christian writings). Consisting of five parts, this method begins with preparing yourself, selecting and reading a brief biblical passage - and moves to listening and contemplating how it connects with your life, then listening to see if God is asking you to respond by taking some specific action. It concludes with praying for one another regarding the reaction to the passage. Many of us tend to think of meditation as something done individually, but reflecting on Scripture in a small group invites us to act and encourages us to share with others how God is calling us to respond.

Contemplative Bible Reading examines this spiritual discipline and invites you to approach the Scripture in a new and challenging way. By exploring different passages and learning to hear God's voice in them, this guide will help you meditate and act on the truth of the Bible.

Lectio Divina is one of the oldest Christian traditions of Bible reading. It has been used for over 1500 years. Lectio Divina is a Latin phrase that can be translated “divine reading”, “spiritual reading”, or “sacred reading”. It is intended to encourage listening to  God and to deepen our  understanding of God’s Word.