Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent, "Gaudete Sunday". It takes its name from the first word, “rejoice”, of the Introit of the Mass of this day and it is an exceptional Sunday, because in this time of solemn preparation for the coming of Jesus, the Third Sunday of Advent is identified by a festive character, in the same way as the fourth Sunday of Lent, known as "Laetare Sunday". On this day, the purple colour of the celebrant's vestments and vestments gives way to pink.

To celebrate this Third Sunday, we at Neumz have chosen the Communion antiphon, Dicite pusillanimes. The text, taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah 35, verse 4, asks those who have a firm and living hope to lift up the spirits of souls weary of waiting, dejected, for our God is coming to us. And, in the face of such news one should not only be strong, but also not afraid. It is no longer a question of fear before the danger of the enemy. No. It is before God, and it is that reverential fear which invests every creature that comes face to face with its saviour.

As for the melody, this Communion is constructed in mode 7 and develops in the whole sound field that is proper to it. What is more, in order to go higher than usual, it has transposed the key of C to the third line in order to reach the high F with a very expressive musical figure where it places the great cry that is the centre of this piece: this piece is a call to the "fainthearted" to widen their hearts to be "strong" because no more prophets are coming, but God himself. And in the face of God's presence in person, Isaiah asks us to be "strong and not afraid". That is why this chant has the tone of words of comfort, like the voice of someone who understands, who empathises and who strives, with gentleness and spirit at the same time, to restore courage. 

In the first phrase, it is worth noting the two salicus of pusillanimes; the melody starts from the fundamental to rise very quickly and powerfully towards the dominant of the mode, the D. It becomes lively and joyful, a joy that wants to be shared. What a delicate and strong touch of kindly charity! The word pusillanimes has no pejorative meaning here and there is not the slightest hint of reproach in the melody. "Come on, cheer up, you who are downcast..." would be a good rendition, all accompanied by a sincere smile. The melody rises to confortamini, and, taking that height as a support, launches its great proclamation: Confortamini!, reaching the F, the melodic summit of the piece, with a tristrophe that lengthens that proclamation, to return again to the dominant D and from there begin a long cadenza until the end of this first phrase (et nolite...). A clarification is in order: we are used to translating this confortamini as an imperative: be strong! However, in Latin it assumes a passive voice. Indeed, there is no hope for a faint-hearted person to be required to be strong. Instead let them say to him: you will be strengthened! In the passive voice, the tone of the announcement changes. It is not a demand, it is an action of God that comes, not to be feared (nolite timere). The delicacy and simplicity of the melody in the repeated motif of nolite timere is admirable.

The second phrase, without losing its character of sympathy, is imbued with religious gravity. It is the mystery of merciful love that the soul sings. And it sings it both for itself and for those it has to console; hence the reverence and tenderness with which it envelops the words, particularly veniet. The final construction, et salvabit nos, not only takes the consistency given by the fundamental, but moves it down to the F, to form a fifth in et salvabit that supports the grandeur of the announcement.