It is Advent.

The time of preparing, waiting, longing, singing, praying, crying out for the coming of Jesus, the coming of God’s kingdom.

It is a time for lighting candles in the darkness.

This week, we light the third candle, the candle of joy in our Advent wreath.

Joy might seem frivolous at times. It might feel like escapism. It might feel like a luxury that we cannot afford when there are so many serious and important matters that deserve our attention.

However, I don’t think that joy, true joy, deep joy, works like that. Joy does not take space from other things. Rather, it fills us up and helps us face what is serious, important, difficult and frightening in our lives and in the world.

As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said in the Book of Joy:

“Discovering more joy does not save us from the inevitability of hardship and heartbreak. In fact, we may cry more easily, but we will laugh more easily too. Perhaps we are just more alive.”

We desperately need beauty, levity, music, art, laughter, even silliness at times, if we are to continue to work and wait for the upside-down Kingdom of God to come.

So, my friends, I invite you to experience joy with me this season, even though it might feel small and foolish at times.

When we all light our candles together, we will glow. 

May God fan the flame of joy in our hearts, in our church and in our world, and may our prayer be:
Come, Lord Jesus, Come.

 


CG+