“Joy to the World the Lord is come!” We rejoice this week as this past Sunday we recognized Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of Advent where we light the candle of JOY! Our scripture readings from the lectionary this week are:
- Isaiah 35:1-10
- Psalm 145:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55
- James 5:7-10
- Matthew 11:2-11
“Joy to the World” we sing in our pews, but if we are honest with ourselves, how often are we truly feeling happiness and joy? What if this season is difficult for you this year, can you still have joy? What if it’s your first Christmas without a loved one? What if you’re in a season of waiting for a new job, or waiting for a loved one to finally join your family? What if your mental health is just not in a great place? Is joy even possible? I argue for the position of YES. Joy is not the same thing as superficial, situational happiness. We can rejoice in the waiting as we see in James 5. We can find God’s joy in the wilderness because as Isaiah prophesied, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp; the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way;” (Isaiah 35:5-8a). Joy is coming, the wilderness is not forever. God’s way can help bring true joy in the drought and wilderness.
The season of Advent always brings me so much admiration for Mary, the theotokos, the mother of God. As a mother myself I can’t help but wonder how she was feeling. We see a glimpse of her thoughts in Luke 1 in the passage we know as the Magnificant: “And Mary said: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy. His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him. He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts; he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.” Mary felt the joy of the Lord in her SOUL. It was not just being happy, it was deep joy that can only come from God’s greatness and holiness. Situationally, Mary probably wasn’t happy all the time. I can only imagine that she, a very young girl, was terrified about what this could mean for her, her future marriage to Joseph, the shame her community probably placed upon her. I wonder if she had a difficult pregnancy, if she had support when it was hard? I wonder if she ever experienced postpartum depression or anxiety? I wonder how her birth went? She probably was not happy all the time, but joy was there because God was there. Emmanuel, God with us.
The best way I can explain happiness versus joy is from the perspective of postpartum. If you are a mother or parent you may relate to this. I had a very rough time mentally postpartum. I had debilitating postpartum depression for about 7 months after I had my daughter and it took even longer than that to begin feeling “good” or like life wasn’t spiraling. I loved my daughter SO much! I loved being a mother! But my mental health was horrible. I didn’t feel happiness very much, situationally, it was so hard to feel happy when my brain was attacking me, yet somehow, I still had so much joy in motherhood and my daughter. I loved her more than anything, I couldn’t imagine life without her, and I wanted to be with her 24/7. I experienced a joy that wasn’t due to my brain chemicals, because those were a mess. I experience joy because God was there, and sustained me in my mothering. The God who fathers and mothers us, who created life and sustains our life, was helping me as I created and sustained my daughter’s life. God brought me a deeper joy than any experiential happiness could have in those wilderness moments.
As we are in waiting, may you experience God’s joy. Whether you are waiting for the postpartum fog to lift, the baby to be born, for the grief to become less painful, the new job to appear, the school work to ease, the next life phase to begin, God will meet you in the wilderness and sustain you with joy.
Just as God brings us joy, we are called to be people of joy- not people of superficial happiness or toxic positivity-but people who bring joy to our broken world. Bishop Michael Curry wrote in his Christmas Newsletter back in 2020 these words, and while it is half a decade later, they still ring so true, “While we may not feel joyful this year — as the pandemic of disease continues to bring sickness and death, when fear and mistrust — a darkness — threatens to overcome the light — we, as followers of Jesus Christ must bear joy to this aching world. We must shine light into the darkness. Joy to the world! Like much in our lives, proclaiming joy is difficult work — also good and essential work — especially now. Though we mourn that which is lost in our lives, our families, and our communities. Joy to the world! While we strive to pull up the twisted and thorny vines of hatred and bigotry and anger. Joy to the world! Through streaming tears and gritted teeth — Joy to the world! — because God is breaking into our lives and into this world anew.”
In a world filled with darkness, spread rebellious joy! Joy to the world!
Be Blessed & Be a Blessing,
-Maddie 🙂
