According to Catholic tradition, the third Sunday in Lent is Gaudete Sunday. Interestingly, the traditional season of Advent is penitential, like Lent, not like the "Christmas Season" of popular culture. However, Gaudete Sunday--gaudete means rejoice--is a break in the somber mood. To symbolize the penitential nature of Advent, the candles on an Advent wreath are purple, but the third, Gaudete, candle is rose-colored.
I did not know until I read an article about Gaudete Sunday in an online Catholic Encyclopedia that Lent also has a "break" Sunday, called Laetare Sunday. Seemingly, laetare also means rejoice. These two words, gaudete and laetare, deserve further study, but not this morning, as I'm recovering from surgery and have used up my blogging energy for the day.
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