The rose glow of the Gaudete Candle feels like a tiny sunrise in the middle of Advent’s darkness—a reminder that joy is already breaking through. It points back to that first Christmas, when the world was waiting in the night and a newborn baby lit up the sky. At the same time, the candle’s hopeful flame whispers forward to the Second Coming, when that same light will blaze fully and every shadow will be gone.
So, dear Brothers and Sisters in CHRIST, as we watch the candle flicker, we’re caught between two moments: the humble birth in a manger and the glorious return at the end of time. The rose light tells us that the joy of that first coming is already here, and it’s the same joy that will burst forth when CHRIST comes again. Let that gentle glow shape our waiting, turning anticipation into a quiet, confident celebration.
May the warmth of this candle’s glow stay with us, guiding our steps until that blessed day when we celebrate together in everlasting joy.
Saint Benedict's Priory
A Benedictine community in the Anglican tradition