Third Sunday of Advent: JOY - Luke 2:10

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people. For there is born to you, this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” 

I recently posted on Facebook to a friend’s initial post: “Why do we refuse to embrace joy?” Because we do.  We do not give into it; we stop ourselves, waiting for the “other shoe to drop.” Pure joy can’t be possible, we fear. The real world is still there, in the background, pulling us back from real, unadulterated joy. 

There have been a few times of that kind of joy for me. Yet I wonder why there are so few. I’m happy a lot. I’m joyful far less frequently.

As most well-taught, or well-indoctrinated, Christians know, happiness is not the same as joy. Well, maybe. I don’t think they are all that different; as some say, is it a distinction without a difference? Yes, it is a difference, but perhaps in quantity but not quality. On the surface and in our lives, they may not “present” that differently. However, JOY is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and thus springing, especially in Scripture, from the work of God in our lives.

In Luke, the tidings that the Savior was born were to result in great joy for the shepherds, who were really an oppressed, or at least low-caste group. (Although, remarkably, their culture depended on them for food and sacrifices and clothing; sort of like sanitation workers today.)  The lowest classes received the news first; let us not forget that in our middle class churches and affluent, well decorated homes. 

And this one uses the rose (pink) candle, which is joyous in itself.