The Third Candle of Advent: Joy That Breaks Through

Advent is a season of waiting. We wait for Christ’s coming at Bethlehem, we wait for His return at the end of time, and we wait for His presence to be revealed in the ordinary moments of our lives. Waiting is not easy—it often feels heavy, uncertain, even wearying. And yet, in the middle of this season, the Church lights a candle that is different.

The third candle of Advent is pink, the Candle of Joy. Its brightness interrupts the deep purple of repentance and longing. It reminds us that joy is not postponed until everything is

perfect. Joy breaks in now, even in the midst of waiting.

When the angels appeared to the shepherds, they proclaimed: “I bring you good news of great joy for all people” (Luke 2:10). The shepherds were ordinary, overlooked, and burdened by their daily work. Yet joy found them in the fields. Joy did not wait for them to be ready, it came as a gift, unexpected and overflowing.

The pink candle tells us that joy is not the absence of sorrow, but the presence of Christ. We can rejoice even when life feels fragile, because joy is rooted in God’s promise, not in our circumstances. Joy is a flame that flickers against the darkness, reminding us that the light has already come and will never be overcome.

As we light the third candle, we are invited to:

• Rejoice in Christ’s presence here and now.

• Share joy with others, especially those who feel forgotten.

• Trust joy as a gift of the Spirit, not something we manufacture.

The third candle of Advent whispers to us: Rejoice, for the Lord is near. In our waiting, in our longing, in our grief, joy is still possible. It is not shallow cheerfulness, but deep gladness that Christ has come, Christ is with us, and Christ will come again.