Sermon: Joy and Judgment

Lectionary: Advent 3(C)
Texts: Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18

John the Baptist preaching in the desert

During this season, we wish one another “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” or if you are on the other side of the pond, “Happy Christmas.” It almost seems impolite during this period to feel and express anything other than gaiety and happiness.

But for Christians who walk through the season of Advent, we are reminded that there is much wrong in the world, even when stores put cheery songs on repeat, where sparkling decorations and lights line the windows and streets, where parties and merriment fill our calendars.

We are halfway through this journey through the season of Advent. And today we remember joy. The difference in the color of the candle reminds us that there is a moment that defies the sentiment of the rest of the season. Joy can be experienced when darkness sems ever pressing against us, when ever present despair threatens to suffocate, and when dark clouds seem to obscure our vision.

Complicating this discussion of joy is another word that is usually seen as synonymous: happiness. Although superficially joy and happiness might appear to be the same thing and experienced in the same way, psychologists explain that there is a difference. Yes, they have similar properties, but there are significant differences. Cynthia Vinney, a psychologist writes in an article, “You can be happy but not joyous and vice versa.” (Vinney, 2024) In the same piece, she quotes several other psychologists.

“Joy is a deep primary emotion individuals experience when they feel truly connected in relationships, are in alignment with their values, and/or have a sense of meaning and purpose,” Lindsey Rae Ackerman, LMFT, vice president of Clinical Services at Clear Behavioral Health, explains. (Vinney, 2024)

A complex emotion, joy signals pleasure but can also come with “a combination of grief and gratitude,” says Daniel Boscaljon, PhD, cofounder of Alchemy of Love. “Joy is the ability to affirm the goodness of life even in the midst of sorrow.” (Vinney, 2024)

Conversely, happiness is “an emotional state that can occur through momentary experiences and is often dependent on external factors such as an achievement or gaining material satisfaction.” (Vinney, 2024)

The article continues to compare joy and happiness. Omitting further detail, the basic idea is that “happiness and joy are both pleasurable, but happiness is short-term, spontaneous, and tends to be linked to external factors. Joy is more long-term and tends to be linked to intrinsic factors.” (Vinney, 2024) Or in my words, happiness is mostly a reaction to what happens to you, whereas joy appears to be something you can choose and cultivate in your inner being.

Lending additional support to the concept that happiness is determined by outside factors is recent research into happiness. (Jade Wu, 2023) (Jennings, 2024) We have probably heard often a saying, “Money can’t buy happiness.” But the research shows that, in fact, there is a correlation between having money and self-reports of happiness. The usual caveats for research and statistics apply: correlation does not mean causation, it is based on self-reports, and the very definition of “happiness” is ambiguous.

Having covered some of the contemporary ideas about joy and happiness, we now turn to our scripture readings.

The Old Testament reading from Zephaniah is a conclusion to an oracle of judgment against Jerusalem. The portion we heard is where God promises to restore Israel and Jerusalem. In this restored community, false, violent, and boastful speech will be replaced by humility. Acts of selfishness and acts to gain and preserve power over others will be replaced by justice. The community rejoices because they no longer fear God’s judgment on their sins.

In our psalm reading from Isaiah, the lection omitted the first verse which once again alludes to God turning away from judgment against the nations, including Israel, and restoring Judah. The cause for God’s judgment against the nations is once again, injustice and oppression of the powerful against the vulnerable and powerless. An oracle about the “root of Jesse” arising to restore the nations is found immediately before the reading we heard. The result of God’s restoration of God’s community is joy, once more.

Our New Testament reading was from Philippians. This epistle is sometimes referred to as one of Paul’s prison epistles, since there is good consensus that Paul probably wrote this letter from a prison pit in Rome. This epistle exudes joy with nearly every verse. It is evidence that joy is something that cannot be diminished or destroyed by external circumstances. The writing is an exhortation to imitate Christ and Christ’s way of relating to and treating people. One of its messages seems to be that how you treat one another directly affects joy. When you are in right relationship with one another and with God, you grow joy. This message is really quite similar to what the Old Testament prophets spoke to their audiences.

And then we come to the gospel reading. The last verse included in our reading says, “With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people.” (Luke 3:18 CEB). The words John the Baptizer spoke to the people don’t really sound much like good news, but once we understand the context and patterns of prior prophetic oracles, we can understand how John’s words of judgment were seen and received as good news. John was preaching judgment as a necessary precursor to restoration of the community and its relationships with one another and with God.

As a related aside, I do think that John truly believed that judgment would look much like how earlier destruction and exiles of Israel occurred. Based on the categories of people that asked John, “What should we do?”, John believed all of humanity was under judgment – from those that had only a meager amount to call their own, to those who were taking advantage of their position of power and privilege, to those who through their official powers were abusing and oppressing other people – all were under God’s judgment.

But Jesus’ life and words showed the world something different about judgment. In the Gospel of John (not the Baptizer) chapter 3, we read the following,

¹⁷ God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him isn’t judged; whoever doesn’t believe in him is already judged, because they don’t believe in the name of God’s only Son.

¹⁹ “This is the basis for judgment: The light came into the world, and people loved darkness more than the light, for their actions are evil. ²⁰ All who do wicked things hate the light and don’t come to the light for fear that their actions will be exposed to the light. ²¹ Whoever does the truth comes to the light so that it can be seen that their actions were done in God. (John 3:17-21)

What we find here is that God is not like Santa Claus in the song Santa Claus is Coming to Town. In that song are found words,

He's making a list and checking it twice
He's gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness' sake

The God that Jesus came to show isn’t like that. Humanity does their own judging. We already know when things are right or wrong with one another in the community. (Paul, in Romans chapter 1, agrees with John.) Jesus sets the example and standard for how to relate to one another, how to think about fellow human beings, and how to treat one another in love. Being afraid of God and judgment is a natural consequence of consistently and intentionally living against Jesus’ standard.

Conversely, those who are following the leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit to live according to Christ’s pattern will naturally come to the light. There is no judgment against those who live in the light. Those who live in the light have nothing to hide. Communities that strive to live to Christ’s standard have nothing to be ashamed of. There is naturally no fear of being found out. There is no judgment and that leads to joy.

As I often do, I want to emphasize the collective and communal aspects of what we have heard so far.

John (the Baptizer) was not just speaking against individual wrongdoing, but also against collective sins. When he exhorts, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same,” (Luke 3:11) he is speaking about our natural tendency to acquire and hoard. We fear that we might not have enough, so we try to ensure our own security by acquiring more than we need. When faced with needs of others, we excuse our not giving by thinking things like, “They don’t deserve it,” or, “I might need it more later,” or, “Someone else can help.” Self-preservation is a collective sin. It doesn’t matter how little or how much one has, it is a temptation that most of us succumb to.

When John says, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect,” (Luke 3:13) he is speaking to the same tendency as before, but also to the temptation to take shortcuts, take advantage of loopholes, and bend rules to benefit oneself. We might excuse this with words like, “I work hard; I deserve it,” or, “No one will know,” or, “Everyone else is doing it.”

When John says, “Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay,” (Luke 3:14) he is still speaking to the same human temptation to succumb to self-preservation, but also to self-aggrandizement. Those who have official powers can abuse the authority granted them to put others down and to belittle others to make oneself feel better about themselves. Same sort of excuses could be made to justify these actions. But additional excuses are also available, such as, “It’s legal,” or, “It’s not unlawful.”

When the entire community, a society, and a nation operates under principles of self-preservation, the ability to have and experience joy is diminished across the board. Conversely, when communities operate with compassion, love, and justice for all as their guiding principles, it increases the capacity for all to have joy.

The Season of Advent is one, a time for repentance. It is a time to look within, both individually and collectively, to return our vision toward Christ and to recommit ourselves to follow Christ more completely. But this is just not change in our philosophical or theological outlook, but a call to action. Can we be better at “letting go” of our desire for security and self-preservation? Can we be better at giving things away to those who are in need? Can we be better at doing what we can to change and reform systems that favor the already-wealthy, powerful and privileged? Can we be better at bringing justice to all and not favoring or disfavoring people based on their position in society?

When we work toward a more just community, society, and nation, we know that we are working toward bringing the good news, the gospel, to all. And in doing so, we know that there is no judgment against that. Whatever may be happening externally, joy and peace and hope infuses this kind of community.

The passage from Philippians continues,

⁸ From now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise. ⁹ Practice these things: whatever you learned, received, heard, or saw in us. The God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

We cultivate joy by becoming more Christlike – through activities of love, compassion, and justice. When we are doing this as individuals and as faith communities, no matter what the world throws at us, together with Paul we can live joy-filled lives no matter what circumstances we face.

References

Jade Wu, P. (2023, November 10). Can Money Really Buy Happiness? Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-savvy-psychologist/202106/can-money-really-buy-happiness

Jennings, J. (2024, February 12). Does Money Buy Happiness? Actually, Yes. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnjennings/2024/02/12/money-buys-happiness-after-all/

Vinney, C. (2024, October 30). Experts Reveal the One Key Difference Between Joy and Happiness. Retrieved from Very Well Mind: https://www.verywellmind.com/joy-vs-happiness-8724682

 

 

 

Sermon: Confidence in Joy

Joy, from Aspects of Daily Life, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56048 [retrieved December 12, 2021]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:55-aspetti_di_vita_quotidiana,_gioia,Taccuino_Sanitatis,_Cas.jpg.

Texts: Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18
Lectionary Year C, Advent 3

Introduction

The Third Sunday of Advent, with its theme as joy has an interesting history. The period we are currently experiencing that we call Advent, originally was known as St. Martin’s Lent. It was just like the Lent season before Easter, being 40 days long and of a similar penitential nature and with an accompanying fast. It most likely arose around the fifth century. It appears to have been shortened to the current four weeks around the ninth century, and by the twelfth century the fast had been replaced by simple abstinence. The Third Sunday of Advent is similar to Lent’s Fourth Sunday, known as Laetare Sunday, which is also a break during the solemn period for a day of celebration and joy. The liturgical color of purple, or sometime deep blue, of the Advent season is broken for this one Sunday by the use of pink or rose color. This is the reason why in some Advent candle sets, you will see a single pink candle lit on the third Sunday.[1]

I bring this up because I was curious about today’s set of readings. Three of them clearly are about rejoicing, but the gospel reading from Luke continues where it left off last Sunday with a theme primarily of repentance. At least one takeaway then, is that amidst this time of individual and corporate reflection, introspection, and repentance, we also need to take time out to express and experience joy.

But also what may be of interest are the circumstances surrounding the writing of each of the three texts where rejoicing figures prominently.

Textual Contexts

Zephaniah

The prophetic writing of Zephaniah locates itself in the seventh century BCE, during the reign of King Josiah of Judah. There is tenuous calm for the nation of Judah and in the city of Jerusalem. But there are growing threats from Assyria and Babylon. And within Jerusalem, the prophet sees evil and corruption in the royal court and inside the Temple itself. Judgment is prophesied for Judah and Jerusalem.[2] What we heard this morning from this prophet’s text is the very final words – reactions from the people after God rescues and restores a remnant back to Jerusalem. It is joy that arrives with a backdrop of judgment and suffering. Joy is something that people can claim and experience, even among still-fresh memories and reminders of crisis and loss.

Isaiah

The psalm reading from Isaiah is placed at the end of the first section of Isaiah. This section, like Zephaniah, contains oracles of judgment against Judah. The enumerations of evil and corruption are far more extensive and detailed than in Zephaniah. They go through the motions of religious piety, but their hearts are full of evil. They think that their piety will keep them safe from God’s judgments, all the while pursuing greed and riches at the expense of the poor, widows, and orphans. Judgment is proclaimed against Judah and Jerusalem. It is at the end of this that a repentant remnant is prophesied to return and there will be joy.

Although today’s psalm is placed at the end of this first section of Isaiah, scholars place the actual writing of the text during the exile into Babylon.[3] That makes the composition and the text of this psalm even more pointed since they were written while experiencing the very judgments that were prophesied, yet he still anticipates deliverance and joy.

Philippians

The reading from Philippians is generally accepted to have been written by Paul while he was in a dungeon in Rome. The portion we heard certainly speaks about joy, but it is not just there but throughout the entire epistle. Paul does not dwell much on his own, immediate circumstances. His concern is with how the gospel is spreading, with the Christian community in Philippi, and how to continue in joy.

What is Joy?

The common thread in these three readings is about joy and rejoicing while amidst sometimes extreme personal troubles and distress. How is it possible to have joy when the world seems to be, or is, falling apart?

I did some searches on the web to see what opinions existed in regards to differences between joy and happiness. As might be expected, opinions ranged widely. Some think there aren’t any meaningful differences. Some think that happiness is a subset of joy, or vice versa. And then there are opinions that note that they are related, but they are not the same. I also learned that joy and happiness are very fuzzy concepts. Even the American Psychological Association’s dictionary[4] entries did not add much clarity to any difference that might exist. There doesn’t seem to be a formal description of what joy is and what happiness is.

Here are excerpts from a selection of articles I read –

Happiness usually involves a victory for the self. Joy tends to involve the transcendence of self. Happiness comes from accomplishments. Joy comes when your heart is in another.[5]

Joy often comes from encounters with people—pouring pancake batter with a young child, or feeling a lover’s fingertips skim your back as you enter a door.[6]

Earthly and material things are at the base of happiness… Where happiness is created externally, joy is created internally. Joy comes from being thankful, grateful, and through appreciation. It comes from giving, caring for others, spiritual experiences, and a moral lifestyle.[7]

… the consensus of the majority is that your happiness depends on various external factors. Happiness is an emotion that you experience as it happens to you… Joy needs you to connect – this connection is often with other people or things in your lives, such as people, pets, hobby, creation, etc.[8]

The common threads I see in the above opinions is that happiness tends to be more of your reaction to what happens to you, personally. Joy, on the other hand, seems to come from investments made into, and relationships with other people, and from our own internal integrity with ethics and morals that we express to the outside.

Repentance and Joy?

Considering these characteristics where joy is often found and experienced, perhaps our gospel text in Luke isn’t so out of place after all. We have heard three specific examples of what John the Baptist meant when he preached repentance. To review, here is the text again:

¹⁰ And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹ In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³ He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” ¹⁴ Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” Luke 3:10-14 (NRSV)

Episcopal priest Jaime Edwards-Acton notes that this really isn’t a high bar that John sets.[9] I think that we have often gotten the idea in our minds that repentance is a huge deal and difficult, but these texts have John telling people who come to ask him specific instructions that basically to be moral and ethical in dealing with one another, and to be compassionate and caring. “Just be a decent person,” John seems to be saying.

John isn’t calling for radical life change. He doesn’t tell tax collectors to stop collecting taxes. Taxes are needed to fund government services. A person may not agree with everything that the officials do with the taxes, but they still support necessary services. In John’s time, they were used to fund the Roman occupation. But John does not tell anyone to stop collecting or paying taxes. He just tells the tax collectors to only collect what is officially needed and no more. Be tax collectors of integrity and ethics, John says.

John does not tell the soldiers to resign from the armed forces, or in John’s case, law enforcement as well. Armed forces and law enforcement are necessary to keep the peace. John’s admonishment to them is that they should not use their position to extort money, take bribes, accuse someone falsely, and satisfy their greed in that manner. John tells them to be ethical soldiers of the empire. Become soldiers with integrity.

For the masses, he tells them that if they have more than they need, and see someone in need, to simply share. He does not tell the crowd that they have to become poor and needy themselves. Be decent, compassionate neighbors, he instructs.

This is essentially what the prophets were also calling on the people to do. The prophets’ messages were that the people already had instructions on how they were to live. Don’t just agree that they are good, but put those instructions into actual life activities, they proclaimed. Live lives of integrity where beliefs and action are congruent, is the message.

Confidence in Joy

From the prophets in the Bible, Jesus, the apostles, and many more throughout history and indeed with us today – many who suffer hardships nevertheless are filled with joy.

Here lies what I believe is the key to a joy-filled life. Joy is found in being connected with other people, looking after their well-being, being empathetic with one another, being generous to whatever extent is feasible, and living a life of integrity with Christian ethics and values.

Hardships and suffering cannot negate joy. In fact, joy may be one of the key ingredients that allows us to get through life and all its twists and turns and survive difficulties and tragedies. As the author of Hebrews wrote about Jesus,

​¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NRSV)

The author of Hebrews tells us that it was joy of seeing the redeemed, including us, that carried Jesus through the crucifixion.

Joy is not just a happy emotion or feeling. It is a deep-seated confidence that all will resolve to justice and righteousness in Christ. And we have each been given a part to play in this drama through our generosity and integrity in our relationship with one another.

In conclusion, let me repeat today’s reading from Philippians and continue a couple more verses beyond it.

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ⁵ Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9 (NRSV)

---

[1] Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Gaudete Sunday - Wikisource, the free online library

[2] Feasting on the Word Commentary, Year C, Volume 1. Essays for Advent 3.

[3] Ibid.

[4] APA Dictionary of Psychology

[5] Brooks, David. Opinion | The Difference Between Happiness and Joy - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

[6] Bogost, Ian. Why Joy Is Better Than Happiness - The Atlantic

[7] Abbate, Bill. How to Embrace Happiness and Joy in Your Life | by Bill Abbate | ILLUMINATION | Medium

[8] Andre. Psychology of Joy vs. Happiness – Psychology Educator

[9] Liberation Lectionary Year C, Advent 3, posted Dec. 7, 2021 – https://fb.watch/9Rb9I6Rl5m/

 

Advent: Joy Amidst Lament

Advent 2014 – Week 3 – Joy

• Text: Zephaniah 3
• No audio recording

Zephaniah claims to have been written during the time of Judah’s King Josiah (1:1), nearing the end of Judah’s sovereignty before exile into Babylon. This short (three chapters), prophetic book contains oracles of doom against basically the entire known world, culminating with prophecies of destruction against Judah/Jerusalem. But at the very end of the oracles, a message of restoration is given (3:9-20). This is our Advent reading for this third week.

⁹ Then I will change the speech of the peoples into pure speech,
that all of them will call on the name of the Lord
and will serve him as one.
¹⁰ From beyond the rivers of Cush,
my daughter, my dispersed ones, will bring me offerings.
¹¹ On that day, you won’t be ashamed of all your deeds
with which you sinned against me;
then I will remove from your midst those boasting with pride.
No longer will you be haughty on my holy mountain,
¹² but I will cause a humble and powerless people to remain in your midst;
they will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.
¹³ The few remaining from Israel won’t commit injustice;
they won’t tell lies;
a deceitful tongue won’t be found on their lips.
They will graze and lie down;
no one will make them afraid.
¹⁴ Rejoice, Daughter Zion! Shout, Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem.
¹⁵ The Lord has removed your judgment;
he has turned away your enemy.
The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst;
you will no longer fear evil.
¹⁶ On that day, it will be said to Jerusalem:
Don’t fear, Zion.
Don’t let your hands fall.
¹⁷ The Lord your God is in your midst—a warrior bringing victory.
He will create calm with his love;
he will rejoice over you with singing.

¹⁸ I will remove from you those worried about the appointed feasts.
They have been a burden for her, a reproach.
¹⁹ Watch what I am about to do to all your oppressors at that time.
I will deliver the lame;
I will gather the outcast.
I will change their shame into praise and fame throughout the earth.
²⁰ At that time, I will bring all of you back,
at the time when I gather you.
I will give you fame and praise among all the neighboring peoples
when I restore your possessions and you can see them—says the Lord. (CEB)

In present day America, the Christmas season seems to begin earlier and earlier. Holiday decorations go up in retailers almost as soon as the Back-to-School sales end. Halloween and Christmas compete for attention. Thanksgiving is nearly forgotten. Part of this undoubtedly has to do with profit-motive – both Halloween and Christmas are great money-makers with Christmas being the greater of the two. But is there something underneath all that? Perhaps I’m reading more into it than there actually is, but is there perhaps a underlying, subconscious desire to extend for as long as possible the hope and joy that Christmas promises?

We listen to Christmas and winter jingles over the speakers. We take in the bright lights and the shiny tinsels and ornaments. We try to feel joy. We pretend to feel joy. Because in common vernacular, joy has come to mean cheerfulness and happiness. We are supposed to be happy, cheerful, and optimistic. To be otherwise is… unChristmas.

I am obviously generalizing, but I think we’ve all see this. America is supposed to be land of opportunity. American and her residents are supposed to be happy and optimistic. America knows her place in the world. America does not like questions; she is the answer. Americans do not like to dwell on the darker side of things. Americans do not like lament.

In my observations, American Christians are no different. In the more popular and mainstream churches, Christmas is celebrated all December. It is a time of putting on cheeriness and happiness. Even in those places where Advent is observed, it is quite often an way to merely lead into the joy of Christmas. There is very little time, if at all, dwelling on the darker side of Advent.

Advent and Christmas is not a happy, cheery, joyful time for all people. Some have lost loved ones recently or are watching loves ones on the inevitable road to death, others are experiencing life difficulties, others are going through terminal diseases. In the rest of the world people daily fear for and some lose their lives. We do these and everyone else a disservice when we skip the lament of Advent.

The Old Testament oracles revealed to their audiences that things were going to get a lot worse. According to the prophets much of what was to happen was due to the consequences of the nation’s own actions. Both the guilty and innocent were going to be caught up in the foretold judgment. Whether an individual was personally culpable or not, it was a time to lament for the nation.

But as our text reveals, all is not lost. In the midst of judgment and lament there is hope. God himself promises a restoration and a rebuilding. However hopeless present circumstances may be, however hopeless the future may appear, God says that there is an alternative future that is not dependent on human actions, but will come about because God will intervene.

It is because of God’s promises of intervention that throughout history, his people have been able to find joy and rejoice that an alternative future will come.

Advent is not Christmas. Advent is that period in the darkness where we don’t yet see the light. We don’t see the light, but we know that it will come. We long for it to come. That is Advent. It is a time in which we find joy amidst lament.

Advent is a time in which it would be well for us to join our global brothers and sisters, believers and unbelievers, in lamenting the evils and injustice of this world. We ought to spend some time in the darkness of economic, racial, and gender inequalities; the darkness of war and violence; the darkness that justifies mistreatment (aka, torture) of other human beings in the cause of expediency and security; the darkness of human trafficking…

While human happiness is dependent on present circumstances, Christian joy looks ahead to a promise of a future in which all oppression and injustice is wiped away. In the present time, as Christians participate in activities that work toward the elimination of oppression and injustices, we become the agents of joy in the world.

We lament presently. We hold on to the promise of future joy. We rejoice presently. We are bringers of joy into the world.

Let’s not skip too quickly ahead of Advent. Let’s spend some time in lament. When we learn to find joy amidst lament, our witness can become that much greater in this world.