A reading from the Book of the Prophet Zephaniah, Chapter 3, verses 14-18 is the inspiration for this song. It is the first reading of the Third Sunday in Advent, Year C.
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it. (Zeph 3:14-18, NRSV)
The Third Sunday of Advent in the Roman Catholic Church is known as Gaudete Sunday, “Rejoice Sunday.” In contrast to the purple liturgical colors of Advent, on this one Sunday in Advent the liturgical color is rose. The celebration of Christmas is so close that we are filled with anticipatory joy. We no longer just harbor hope for humanity, we know that the healing that humanity needs so desperately is about to happen in the birth of Jesus.
