Can we still find joy?

Today we light the pink candle on our Advent Wreath, a candle different from the others and standing for joy. Back in the old days when preparation for Christmas had a strong spiritual dimension, and included doing some penance and fasting, this Third Sunday of Advent was a kind of road sign saying: You’re getting close to the goal; don’t lose heart; don’t lose hope. The great day of rejoicing isn’t too far ahead; together, we’ll get there.

So, I want to focus on today’s second reading from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. “Rejoice in the Lord always,” he says. He must really mean it because he says it a second time. “I shall say it again: rejoice!” And then a little further in the text he says, “Have no anxiety!”

I have to be honest, there’s something within me that wants to say: Are you kidding? We’ve been living in a pandemic, millions are getting sick, and millions around the world are dying. We’re dealing with inflation; every time we go for groceries or buy gas, the price has gone up. Our representatives in Congress can’t seem to get along, and they’re not helping things here. So, I find it a little harder to get into the spirit of things and to feel joy! This is what I’d like to explore today. Does Paul’s advice and encouragement still apply to us? Should we be rejoicing? Should we have no anxiety at all?

To begin the analysis, I want to start with a story. It’s an old legend about a tribe that was always at war with other tribes. They murdered, raped and pillaged. They had no morals, love, or compassion. They were so violent, it seemed they had a death wish.

An alarmed elder called together some reasonable members from all the other tribes to try and save the violent tribe’s people from themselves. After much discussion the reasonable people decided to take the secret of success and happiness away from those who abused it, and to hide it from them.

But where should this secret be hidden? Some suggested it be buried deep in the earth. Others said to put it on top of the highest mountain. Still others suggested it be sunk deep in the ocean. There was no agreement until the elder who had gathered them together made this proposal. “Let us hide the secret within the people themselves,” he suggested. “People like this will never find happiness and success there.”

To this day people have been feverishly pursuing success and happiness, searching for the secret. Relatively few ever find its hiding place—already within themselves.

Now, let me go back to Paul’s letter. One of the interesting aspects of its history is that, when Paul wrote this particular letter, he was writing from prison in Rome. Christians were being persecuted. During the time of the Emperor Nero, there was a devastating fire in Rome—and the Christians were blamed. The tradition is that Paul was eventually beheaded, but the important thing to note for now is that this letter was written from prison.

I believe Paul could write “Rejoice” “I’ll say it twice: Rejoice!” “Have no anxiety at all!”—he could write like this because he had found joy, not from a top level job, or a huge income, or a lot of success and popularity. He found his joy within himself. Regardless of his external circumstances, he knew deep within that Jesus is Lord, that Jesus had been crucified, that Jesus was risen from the dead, and that Jesus loved Paul and everyone else who had heard the message and believed. “Jesus loves me, this I know, because the Bible tells me so.” I quote from this Christian hymn—the words written by Anna Bartlett Warner (1827-1915), the words spoken as a comforting poem to a dying child, and the tune later added by William Batchelder Bradbury. This is a favorite hymn all around the world, especially among children. It may sound simplistic, but I think Anna and William, like Paul, were onto something.

Happiness is something that depends on the external circumstances of our lives. Someone we love dies; we face a major medical issue; there’s the loss of a job; we have to be careful and wear masks during a pandemic; there’s no money to pay the bills—and out happiness level goes down. But joy, at least for us Christians and other spiritual/religious folk, is something deeper. It comes from knowing, underneath it all, that we are loved and cherished by a God who was willing even to suffer an excruciating crucifixion and die for us, so that we might have an eternal future. That future is ours, even now; we’re already heading on the road that leads to eternity. We belong to God, and no one can snatch us out of God’s possession.

This, I believe, is the key to Paul’s words, Paul’s advice: Rejoice! Rejoice! (It bears repeating.) Have no anxiety, “but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” You don’t have to climb the highest mountain, or swim the deepest ocean, or dig the deepest hole to find this treasure. The secret of joy is within you, in your heart, in the innermost recesses of your being, where you are known and loved by the God who has destined you for an eternity of love, peace and joy. This Advent season bids us to sit down, stop running around, and look within. Quiet yourself and listen for God’s whisper deep within yourself: I love you with an everlasting love. You are mine!

Today we light the pink candle on our Advent Wreath, a candle different from the others and standing for joy. Back in the old days when preparation for Christmas had a strong spiritual dimension, and included doing some penance and fasting, this Third Sunday of Advent was a kind of road sign saying: You’re getting close to the goal; don’t lose heart; don’t lose hope. The great day of rejoicing isn’t too far ahead; together, we’ll get there.

So, I want to focus on today’s second reading from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. “Rejoice in the Lord always,” he says. He must really mean it because he says it a second time. “I shall say it again: rejoice!” And then a little further in the text he says, “Have no anxiety!”

I have to be honest, there’s something within me that wants to say: Are you kidding? We’ve been living in a pandemic, millions are getting sick, and millions around the world are dying. We’re dealing with inflation; every time we go for groceries or buy gas, the price has gone up. Our representatives in Congress can’t seem to get along, and they’re not helping things here. So, I find it a little harder to get into the spirit of things and to feel joy! This is what I’d like to explore today. Does Paul’s advice and encouragement still apply to us? Should we be rejoicing? Should we have no anxiety at all?

To begin the analysis, I want to start with a story. It’s an old legend about a tribe that was always at war with other tribes. They murdered, raped and pillaged. They had no morals, love, or compassion. They were so violent, it seemed they had a death wish.

An alarmed elder called together some reasonable members from all the other tribes to try and save the violent tribe’s people from themselves. After much discussion the reasonable people decided to take the secret of success and happiness away from those who abused it, and to hide it from them.

But where should this secret be hidden? Some suggested it be buried deep in the earth. Others said to put it on top of the highest mountain. Still others suggested it be sunk deep in the ocean. There was no agreement until the elder who had gathered them together made this proposal. “Let us hide the secret within the people themselves,” he suggested. “People like this will never find happiness and success there.”

To this day people have been feverishly pursuing success and happiness, searching for the secret. Relatively few ever find its hiding place—already within themselves.

Now, let me go back to Paul’s letter. One of the interesting aspects of its history is that, when Paul wrote this particular letter, he was writing from prison in Rome. Christians were being persecuted. During the time of the Emperor Nero, there was a devastating fire in Rome—and the Christians were blamed. The tradition is that Paul was eventually beheaded, but the important thing to note for now is that this letter was written from prison.

I believe Paul could write “Rejoice” “I’ll say it twice: Rejoice!” “Have no anxiety at all!”—he could write like this because he had found joy, not from a top level job, or a huge income, or a lot of success and popularity. He found his joy within himself. Regardless of his external circumstances, he knew deep within that Jesus is Lord, that Jesus had been crucified, that Jesus was risen from the dead, and that Jesus loved Paul and everyone else who had heard the message and believed. “Jesus loves me, this I know, because the Bible tells me so.” I quote from this Christian hymn—the words written by Anna Bartlett Warner (1827-1915), the words spoken as a comforting poem to a dying child, and the tune later added by William Batchelder Bradbury. This is a favorite hymn all around the world, especially among children. It may sound simplistic, but I think Anna and William, like Paul, were onto something.

Happiness is something that depends on the external circumstances of our lives. Someone we love dies; we face a major medical issue; there’s the loss of a job; we have to be careful and wear masks during a pandemic; there’s no money to pay the bills—and out happiness level goes down. But joy, at least for us Christians and other spiritual/religious folk, is something deeper. It comes from knowing, underneath it all, that we are loved and cherished by a God who was willing even to suffer an excruciating crucifixion and die for us, so that we might have an eternal future. That future is ours, even now; we’re already heading on the road that leads to eternity. We belong to God, and no one can snatch us out of God’s possession.

This, I believe, is the key to Paul’s words, Paul’s advice: Rejoice! Rejoice! (It bears repeating.) Have no anxiety, “but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” You don’t have to climb the highest mountain, or swim the deepest ocean, or dig the deepest hole to find this treasure. The secret of joy is within you, in your heart, in the innermost recesses of your being, where you are known and loved by the God who has destined you for an eternity of love, peace and joy. This Advent season bids us to sit down, stop running around, and look within. Quiet yourself and listen for God’s whisper deep within yourself: I love you with an everlasting love. You are mine!