Third Sunday of Advent: Joy
Recently, a client of mine posted on her Instagram a photo of herself and her young son riding on a Christmas train. The boy's face was illuminated with pure joy. I smiled at that photo, and remembered the joy and exuberance I felt at Christmastime when I was young. I remember the Christmas decorations at our house, or in our neighborhood. I remember the anticipation of Christmas morning, and wondering what Santa would bring. Those memories fill me with the same joy that my client's son was experiencing on that train ride.
Today is the Third Sunday of Advent, where we light the candle of Joy. The first two Sundays of Hope and Peace are Sundays that call us to welcome the messages of hope and to be bearers of peace with reflection and introspection. Today, we are joyful, because we are now in excited anticipation of the coming of the Christ child.
As I look at these three Sundays of Advent, I realize that not only are Hope, Peace and Joy gifts that God gives us, but that they are also gifts we give to each other. As I wrote last Sunday, we are the ones who receive God's peace and then in turn, give it to others. That is so true of Hope and today, Joy. As we receive, we should freely give.
As we can see from John's Gospel, Jesus tells us that words He had given us - and still gives us - bring us a joy that will be complete, or as some other translations say, a joy that is full. Shouldn't we, living in Christ's Joy, be as exuberant and joyful as my client's son, and not just at Christmas, but throughout the year?
We have experienced the Hope of the coming of the Christ-child. We have encountered the Peace that Christ gives us. Now, let us celebrate Joy, and live joyfully through Advent, Christmas, and all the years ahead of us.
Follow John's Advent journey here on his blog, johnscoffeehouse.blogspot.com, or on Facebook, johnscoffeehouse.
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