Third Sunday in Advent 2023
Am I the only one who sometimes feels those words are empty? That they mean nothing? Disingenuous, ridiculous, and foolish? This is a VERYY hard year to be joyful!
The last three weeks I've wrestled with and through a lot of things. These words, grounded in these four weeks, have more weight this year. And are more difficult this year, too. Here's another thing, too. I feel disillusioned by not only the world around me that seems to be going crazy, but also, within Christian walls, things are off the rails, too. I know many people within church circles are convinced that we are in the End Times. And, at the risk of treading on feet, I'm not so sure. There have been countless times throughout history that they thought the same thing. And, I'm not going to go into my thoughts on the Second Coming here. I'll save that for another time. (The church I occasionally attend - Village Green in London, Ontario, my brother's church - the pastor there is doing a series on Revelation starting in January. I'm going to definitely attend those! And come back to add more here.) But that is for later. This, today, is for joy.
Joy in the middle of war. Joy in the middle of anger and hatred and vitriol. Joy in the middle of confusion. How do you balance that?
But here's the thing: I don't think it's that joy that we are to think about and experience today. The First Sunday of Advent is often about the historical predictions; the anticipation of Emmanuel. The Second Sunday of Advent is often about peace, Mary and Elizabeth knowing what they carry. The Third Sunday of Advent is for joy. This one starts to extend to others - the shepherds, the people. Pardon? What do they have to be joyful for? Low class, smelly, the bottom of society. Outcasts. What do we have to be joyful for? Poverty, hatred, war, anger, loss.
In the message of Village Green today, the pastor talked about how we live in a society that pursues happiness. But happiness is fleeting; it comes in a flash and is often gone in an equal flash. We put emphasis on the wrong things - possessions, 'clicks', free time, avoiding conflict and only surrounding ourselves with those that agree with you. Yet, apparently, those are things that will not bring you happiness. Yet, that's what we aspire to achieve.
He talked about how, in this far distant world, after God's silence of 400 years, enter a baby. A baby that does not much else other than cry, eat, sleep, poop, and maybe smile. But not just any baby - this is the 400 year silence being broken. God just moved into the neighbourhood. As he said, "Joy is the natural response when meaning and hope collide." That's what happened when this babe was born. In his presence came meaning - came salvation, came connection with God, came hope. No longer was a sacrifice needed or the law of Moses. Now we all have access to a relationship, to a path.
And who wouldn't be grateful for that? The more you view the world through a lens of gratitude, the more joy you will have in your life. Not the other way around.
I remember over the last year, I was driving home from a family funeral. I had a few of them to attend to, and this one got me thinking. I realized in the instant, I had a sense of joy in a way I had never felt before. Joy because I had experienced connection to my family. Joy because of the gratitude I had for those relations that had gone before me. This wasn't from 'happiness', but something deeper. Something different. If that came from my relations, what more could I experience on the same, and deeper level, when I reflect on the connection I now have with my Creator? on the gratitude of what was done for me? As Luther said, "Pecca fortiter, sed crede fortius." Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe more boldly and rejoice in Christ, who is victor over sin, death, and the world. It's all been done for you.
And that, my friend, brings a joy that has no words. Fear not. I bring you tidings of great joy. He has come. God's moved into the neighbourhood. Rejoice!
And all the people said .... AMEN!!
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