Father Hathaway’s Column — December 17, 2023
REJOICE, THE LORD IS NEAR!
This Third Sunday of Advent, December 17, is known as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means “Rejoice!” as the birth of Christ approaches, and comes from the entrance antiphon for Mass today: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near” (Phil 4:4-5). That message is repeated in our responsorial Psalm (Lk 1): “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior” and in our second reading (1 Thes 5:16): “Rejoice always.” To reflect the joy of the coming of Christ at Christmas, today we light the cheerful rose candle, the third on our Advent wreath, and the priests wear rose-colored vestments.
O ANTIPHONS
“O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of 
knowledge!” – O Antiphon for December 17
Today also marks the beginning of the “O” Antiphons, found in the Liturgy of the Hours, the daily prayer of the Church, where they accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer (vespers), December 17 to 23.
Dating back to the 4th century, the antiphons address Christ with seven Messianic titles, all based on Old Testament prophecies: O Sapientia (Wisdom), O Adonai (Sacred Lord), O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (Key of David), O Oriens (Radiant Dawn), O Rex Gentium (King of the Gentiles) and O Emmanuel (God with Us). Interestingly, their initial letters, when read backward, form an acrostic for the Latin “Eros Cras,” or “Tomorrow I come”! You can learn more at https://www.usccb.org/prayers/o-antiphons-advent.
MEETING OUR MASS OBLIGATIONS
Since Christmas is on Monday this year, can we go to a Christmas vigil Mass on Sunday and have it fulfill both our Sunday and Christmas obligations? Here’s what a recent article from Our Sunday Visitor has to say:
“…. in 2023, Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday (which is also the Fourth Sunday of Advent). And like all Sundays, Catholics are required to attend Mass in person [Saturday evening Vigil Mass or Sunday Mass], unless there is some legitimate reason (like illness or inclement weather) that makes attending Mass unduly difficult or impossible.
“Of course, the next day, Monday, December 25, is Christmas Day, which is also a Holy Day of Obligation. Because there are two days of obligation — i.e., Sunday and Christmas — this means that there are two distinct obligations.
Each separate obligation needs to be fulfilled by attending a separate Mass. That is, you cannot ‘double dip’ by attending a Christmas Eve Mass that happens to be on Sunday and have this one Mass fulfill two obligations.” (You can read the full article at https://bit.ly/46VS8VV).
It is important to remember why we gather and celebrate — the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. To pay Him proper homage while fulfilling our Mass obligations, please make attending Mass for the Fourth Sunday of Advent and for Christmas — two events — part of your Christmas plans. I look forward to seeing you and your family twice!