It’s 6 days before Christmas
… and I’ve been thinking about how joy is a force to be reckoned with.
“I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I'm not happy. I don't feel the way I'm supposed to feel.” - Charlie Brown
Are we supposed to feel happy in the days leading up to Christmas? Who made the rules about holiday cheer? What if I’m not quite feeling it? Is it possible to be set free from this unnecessary yuletide burden?
Linus, help us all! Or, at least help me!
Thankfully, Advent has a different set of rules.
The waiting of Advent teaches us that we can sit in the darkness and go face to face with sadness. We learn how to be empty and what it means to wait. There is no rule that says we are supposed to be happy. If anything, Advent reminds us of what is not supposed to be.
Deep down, we know that this world, at the least, is not supposed to be this way. Wars are not supposed to be fought. Cancer is not supposed to win. Sadness and sorrow should not keep having the final say.
And yet, even if we were supposed to feel happy, happiness would not be the solution to this overwhelming sadness.
No, what we need is something much deeper. Something more unstoppable and something more infinite. Something unfazed and undeterred by the circumstances of life.
The feeling of happiness will not do. What we need is the filling of joy.
In last Sunday’s Advent readings from the church lectionary we read about how God comes to His people bringing justice. He is the Coming One who makes all things right.
Joy is the testimony of this promise.
The judgment of God compels the prophet to say, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he clothed me with the garment of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” -Isaiah 61:10
Joy is the Prophet’s posture and his wardrobe.
The psalmist also rejoices in God’s judgment: “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, then were we like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with shouts of joy.” -Psalm 126:1-2
Joy is the fullness that fills the mind and mouth of the Psalmist.
When Mary responds to God’s judgment in her life, her spirit rejoices. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…” -Luke 1:46-47
As she worships, Joy is the language the Mother Mary shares with her spirit.
In these texts we see that joy is an all encompassing reality in the hearts of those who know what it means to sit in the dark. Because the saints see the light in the distance they are able to rejoice through tears. Because they believe in God‘s promise to make things right, they are covered by an unmoving joy.
Are you seeing it? Joy can be found in the bottom of the pit. When happiness has abandoned you, joy can be found in the midst of your darkest moments.
Therefore it makes sense that when the Apostle Paul calls the church in Thessalonica to “rejoice always,” he’s not just saying things. He genuinely believes joy is possible because he believes God will do what he says he’s going to do.
The church to whom he writes has been anticipating the coming again of Jesus. Many in his audience assumed Jesus would return before they had even seen death. But as it goes in real life, friends and family are dying around them and they have started to lose hope. They are experiencing the sadness of loss and the sorrow of Christ’s delay.
And it is here in this sadness where they are called to rejoice.
You see, it’s not when we ignore sadness when joy will be produced within us. The scriptures teach us that we can be walking alongside sadness and still possess joy because we know that sadness won’t be able to keep up.
If happiness is dependent upon circumstances, joy is the deep down, developing celebration of our expectant belief that God will do what he says he’ll do with sadness and sorrow.
This is a way in which we prepare the way of the Lord in Advent. If we share that kind of joy in the midst of our sorrows we will point to the Light who is with us in the darkness. Our joy will draw attention to the One who has the final word over sadness and sorrow.
No wonder the angel said this is good news of great joy for all people.
Joy is not a feeling, it is a force to be reckoned with!
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” -Revelation 21:4