A
Reflection for III Advent All
Saints, Southern Shores, NC December 17, 2017 Thomas
E. Wilson, Rector
Third Candle: John's Joy
Today
we light the third candle in the Advent wreath, the pink candle for Joy. It is
sometimes called the Shepherd's Candle because the shepherds heard the Angels
proclaim the “Good News of Great Joy”.
Last
week we finally had the postponed Lobster Fest. That afternoon it was cold,
windy, and raining, and a group of us were out there cooking those lobsters.
More than once the idea was expressed that, next year, we will do this in the spring
when the weather is nice! We were tired
and cold but there was joy. Joy is not
about things going your way but the Stewardship of the soul, a decision to find
meaning in life, that there is a deeper connection in what we do. The Psalmist
in Psalm 30 sings: “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping
may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Joy is not optimism
where “things will get better by and by with pie in the sky”, but a claiming of
the Spirit of God in the middle of all circumstances.
During the evening of Lobster fest, little 3 year
old James Witter was helping by replacing buckets on the tables and rushing to
empty the full ones into the trash. He could barely reach the top of the trash
can, but he was working up a storm. He announced that he was sweating, and a
chorus of different mothers chimed in with “Don't take your clothes off!”
because this is a well-known habit that little boys have when they get hot.
There was joy with and in James because there was an awareness that something
deeper was going on as he was learning what it was to be connected to a
community of deeper meaning that claims the Spirit of God in all circumstance.
Today's
lessons share with us the story of people who have found joy. Question: What helps you give or receive joy?
The
first lesson is from the 61st Chapter of Isaiah. Many scholars believe
that the book of Isaiah was written by several prophets who were operating out
of a school of Isaiah living into the spirit of the Prophet. Isaiah was a
prophet in the 8th Century during the threat of the Assyrian Empire
and the economic injustice and social corruption in the Kingdom of Judah and
Jerusalem. The Assyrians laid siege to Jerusalem in 721 BC, and it was unsuccessful due to the implosion
of the Assyrian Empire. The prophecies of 1st Isaiah preached trust
in God and repentance of the economic and social exploitation of the poor and
marginalized by the rich and well connected are found in Chapters 1-39. If you have heard
Handel's Messiah in this season, you have heard a passage of redemption from
Chapter 6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given”, when Isaiah
sees a sign of joy in the middle of the threat of the Assyrians.
In
597 the Babylonian Empire conquered
Jerusalem and began an exile of the leaders to Babylon. In 587 the puppet
government in Jerusalem left by the Babylonians attempted a rebellion. It was
crushed and the Babylonians destroyed the city and sent even more of the
residents to exile in Babylon. The prophets of Deutero (or 2nd)
Isaiah (Chapters 40-55) write to the exiles to give them hope of a deliverance
and return. Many of their prophecies are in the form of songs and poems. Again,
if you have heard Handel's Messiah in this season, you have heard joy in
the middle of difficult circumstances in several of the poems: “Comfort,
Comfort ye my people” and “The Glory of the Lord shall be revealed”.
In 521, the Babylonians were conquered by the
Medes and the Persians, and Cyrus the Great allowed the exiles to return to
Judah and Jerusalem but under Persian rule. When they returned to their former
homes in Judah and Jerusalem from the exile in Babylon, they found a mess. The
city walls had been torn down, the fields neglected, and the Temple a heap of
rubble. It is an uphill battle to rebuild, and there Trito (or 3rd)
Isaiah (Chapters 56-66) is on site to strengthen the will to rebuild. Again
from the Messiah you will hear these words: “We like sheep have gone
astray”, and “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.”
Third Isaiah knows that rebuilding the Temple and a just society will be rough in
the times ahead, but joy does not come as a result of good things happening
easily but a decision to move toward meaning. Isaiah's life, 1st, 2nd
and 3rd, is devoted to opening the door for people to see God's joy
in this world.
The
opening lines of this lesson for today from 3rd Isaiah, “The spirit
of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to
bring good news to the oppressed to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim
liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of
the Lord's favor,” was used by Jesus as he began his public ministry. Echoing
Isaiah, he found meaning in his life by bringing good news to the people who found
it easy to be discouraged. They were under Roman rule and they mourned the past,
but Jesus tells them not to look to the past but to find meaning in the new
future that he sees opening up. Jesus finds joy in finding meaning in his life.
Joy does not come from everything going right in one's life but from finding a
greater purpose than just slogging through. Joy is infectious and the Jesus
movement begins in joy. You don't need to be a fortune teller to know that
Jesus and his movement will be fighting an uphill battle against Roman rule,
the corruption of the state, the contempt of the rich, mighty, and well-connected,
but joy is not a response of things going well but a decision to move toward
meaning. Jesus' life is devoted to opening the door for people to see God's joy
in this world.
The
song in place of the Psalm for today is the Magnificat, which Mary sings
after the Angel Gabriel tells her that she will bear a son, Jesus. Mary has
just heard the news that she is an unmarried pregnant girl who is facing a
tough road ahead, but she sings a song of joy because her life now has a greater
meaning than just growing older; she is literally to bear the good news that
God is dwelling with them to work for a more just society by casting down the
mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly. You don't have to be a
fortune teller to know that Mary is in for a rough time, but joy is not of
response to things going well but a decision to move toward meaning. Mary's
life is devoted to opening the door for people to see God's joy in this world.
In
the Epistle, Paul writes to the people in Thessaloniki, sharing his joy and to
“rejoice in all circumstances”. Paul and
the early church are having a rough time, but they have joy because they have
found a deeper meaning than just hoping for a better future. Today is the day
they have and they make the decision to have joy to reflect and share the good
news of God's presence in their lives through living in the Spirit of Jesus. You don't need to be a fortune teller to know
that Paul and the church will face rougher times, but joy is not a response of
things going well but a decision to move toward meaning. Paul's life is devoted
to opening the door for people to see God's joy in this world.
The
Gospel lesson from Mark has John the Baptizer doing his ministry, proclaiming
the time of God's anointed. He urges his followers to change their lives and
not “go along to get along” in a corrupt society. John has some visits by the
religious establishment and the toadies of the corrupt and exploitive
government of Herod, the Roman puppet, who goad him to pushing himself into the
suicidal position of declaring himself the Messiah. John wishes he were, but he
knows that he is only a voice crying in the wilderness for someone who is
greater than he. You don't need to be a fortune teller to know that John the
Baptizer will face rougher times, but joy is not a response of things going
well but a decision to move toward meaning. John's life is devoted to opening
the door for people to see God's joy in this world.
Every
day I look at the news, and I don't need to be a fortune teller to see rough
times ahead, but I pray for the strength to make a decision to live in joy, a
stewardship of the soul. Where are you finding Joy in your life? What decision
will you make?
Third Candle; John’s Joy
John
the Baptizer came to tell what's in his sight,
that
light giver of joy was what was still to come.
Knowing
it was not him, it humbled him some;
unlike
me, who at times, forget I'm not that light.
Each
time I sidle up to a pulpit, have to keep saying
it
isn’t all about me but I’m here to point differently,
not
at you or me, but to a hope and love expectantly
who
surrounds us. I need to start some real praying
for
humility to walk earth with a grateful reverence
that
every step is on holy ground and sacred space
flowing
atoms of joy that between me and you race
to
a power greater than ourselves. Joy I ask to preach
what
I might myself need and to God’s children reach
No comments:
Post a Comment