Gaudete!
Gaudete is the Latin name for this Sunday. It means
rejoice and comes from the appointed Introit for the Third Sunday in
Advent. For centuries upon centuries on
the Third Sunday in Advent, the worshiping congregation would hear Philippians
4:4 sung in Latin, “Gaudete in Domino
semper: iterum dico, gaudete” (Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say,
rejoice!).
I suppose the majority of people will moan and groan
just at the mention of Latin. (Latin is a language. Dead as dead can be. First
it killed the Romans Now it's killing me.)
I’m not suggesting that everyone go out and learn Latin but I do think
that a nodding acquaintance with the ancient language of the Church will enrich
your appreciation for the liturgy and our way of worship in the Lutheran
Church.
Here’s where The Muppets come in. (No, I don’t think
we should have Muppets lead worship.) While most think of The Muppets as
children’s entertainment, there is much there for adults. In fact it is so packed with subtle cultural
references that I don’t think just one viewing could uncover them all. It is a delight to discover these hidden
treasures and appreciate the effort that went into producing this movie. Certainly the film will thrill children but
its wholesome humor will satisfy the deepest thinking adult.
The basic plot of The Muppets is a need for the
Muppets to save their old theater and studio in Hollywood. To do this they must raise $10 million. The only way to raise this money is for the
Muppets to get back together and “put on a show.”
At one point during a dance number the camera does a
close-up on a Smalltown resident as he sings.
This Smalltown resident is none other than Mickey Rooney. When I saw him I laughed out loud!
Of course if you’ve never seen Mickey Rooney as Andy
Hardy with Judy Garland in their cheerfully naive musicals that usually end
with the characters putting on an impromptu musical show to save the day, then
Mickey’s cameo goes over your head and you miss one of the delightfully playful
moments in the movie. It’s still a good film
but you have missed out. I know because
I asked a 30 something about it and he didn’t know why Mickey was there.
So this is a roundabout way of encouraging you to seek
to learn more about the history of the liturgy and the importance of knowing a
few Latin words to enhance your appreciation of the liturgy. Certainly without Latin our worship still
meaningfully points to Christ and His cross each and every Sunday. But if you realize that Sanctus means holy and is the Latin name for “Holy, Holy, Holy,
Lord God Almighty,” you will begin to have a deeper appreciation for our
Christian heritage and worship. You will
begin see that the work of the Holy Spirit (Sanctus Spiritus) is sanctification. You will see why we often call the place
where we worship the sanctuary (holy place).
On Gaudete
Sunday rejoice with me that we have a way of worship that is simple enough for
small children but deep enough to occupy our growing faith throughout our
lives. To help you on your quest to deepen your understanding of our way of
worship, you may want to look at the glossary on page xxiv in Lutheran Service Book.
Pastor Quardokus
