Dearly Beloved,
How does a weary world rejoice?
It is a question well worth asking. I think we keep hoping that, on this end of the pandemic shut-downs, we'll get to a place where we feel rejuvenated and invigorated. And still, we find our world (and perhaps ourselves) weary. And warring. How does our world, how do we rejoice? This is the thematic question of our worship this Advent season.
I think often as we consider joy, we think it has to stand alone. Yet, as the creators of this worship theme write:
"Joy is often a companion to many other emotions. We can feel joy in addition to feeling many other things at once: grief, anticipation, anxiety, excitement, disappointment, exhaustion. Perhaps many of us live with the myth that joy is not something we deserve—or that it is wholly out of reach.
"But our joy is rooted in the truth that we belong to God. Can you tether yourself to that deep truth? You deserve to feel joy—fully. The world needs your joy, even if you are weary. And joy is better when it is shared" (A Sanctified Art, introduction to the theme).
This thematic question alludes to a line from "O Holy Night":
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
This season, we will hold space for our weariness and our joy, our grief and our hope, our regrets and our love, our broken relationships and our longing for peace, reconciliation and healing. Like Mary's song in Luke (Luke 1:46-55), this hymn reminds us that justice adn joy belong together. Sometimes our joy is an act of resistance. In this season, we seek to welcome joy -- even and especially if, like the prophet Isaiah, we cry out for comfort (Isaiah 40:1).
In this weary world, may we seek and find together many ways to rejoice, to hold hope, to find connection, to cultivate belonging.
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we enter into this season together. I also want to invite you to attend the celebration of life for Nikki Glantz's mom Brenda. We will host that service will on Friday at 2:00 pm.
With love, hope, peace and indeed joy,
Thandiwe
