“Where True Joy is to be found”
Luke 1:39-45
I was at the preschool Christmas program last Tuesday
And a
was talking to a little child who was
Trying
to work her way through the crowd
To see another little child.
I said
to the parent, it’s neat that they develop
Such
deep friendship at this early age
And
the parent said- “She’s her cousin”
And
I responded:
“That’s
even better, a cousin
who’s a friend.”
I have
a cousin Rich who is also my friend.
He
is about half a year older than me
And
we grew up together in
We
used to spend holidays together.
It
was good to have a cousin who was also a friend.
He
made the holiday gatherings joyful
Because
we didn’t have to stay with adults
We
had our own gathering & fun.
Someone
to explore things with
And
to share with and someone
Who
has the same roots.
And I thought of that when I read today’s passage.
When John
and Jesus met, even before they were born,
The
text says: “the child in my womb leaped
with joy”
Jesus and John were cousins and even
before
they were born
there was a connection of family.
When
the family gathered for Passover, or Succoth
Or
Yon Kippur they would have been together.
On this Advent season that is one of
The real joys that is set
before us
The
joy of family.
Mary and Elizabeth were also family
But
they also found joy in a shared struggle-
They
were both pregnant.
Have
you every noticed that when you are struggling
That
it is good to talk with and be with
Someone
who knows what it is like.
When
Sara went to the transplant hospital
In
Was
to meet with other transplant patients
There
is a joy in knowing
that you are not
alone.
That’s
why AA and NA groups are so important
Because
there is joy and strength in being
With
people who know your pain
And
your struggle, especially
In
this holiday season
That’s
why battalions get together years after
They
have fought together in battle
Because there is the joy of being with
Someone
who understands what
You
had to go through.
It’s
not a light, fluffy joy but rather a deep joy
In
being with someone who knows
On
a deep level what you are going through
Elizabeth
and Mary found solace
In each other during their preganancies.
When she met the pregnant Mary.
They
understood each other
This rejoicing is not because either
mother was naïve
About what they or their sons would endure.
But
it was the joy of a shared pain,
Share
perspective and share purpose.
But that is not the where true joy is to
be found.
One of the powerful liturgies that is
imbedded in me
Is
the prayer that I say at funerals.
“Renew within us the gifts of faith, patience
and enduring love. Help us to walk amid
the things of this world with eyes open to the beauty and glory of the eternal;
that so among the sundry and manifold changes of this life, our hearts may surely
there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
True joy is found when family, and
shared purpose
come together in
the faith of Jesus Christ.
After Mary
meets
“May
soul magnifies the Lord,
My
spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
The rest of
Mary’s song previews the struggles
That her son Jesus Christ will have in
his ministry:
He
has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he
has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the
rich away empty.”
This is not the song of the proud Jewish
mother
about her son the
doctor.
I’m sure that she was aware of the
dangers
Of the world into which John
and Jesus
Were being born but
there was joy
Real joy
because the purpose
They
followed was God’s.
Even
the relationship between John and Jesus
Was bound together by the joy of faith.
When
John the Baptist grew up the Gospel of John
Records
the words of John as he prepared the way
For
the coming of his cousin, the Christ:
“I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent
ahead
of him.
He who has the bride is the bridegroom.
The friend of
the bridegroom rejoices greatly
at the bridegrooms voice.
For this reason
my joy has been fulfilled.
He must increase, but I must decrease.”
This passage anticipates the demise of
John
Who
was beheaded by Herod and yet the passage is not
A passage of gloom but rather of rejoicing and joy.
It
is the joy of a shared purpose that will
Continue
on even after one’s death.
That is the answer to the question
Where
true joys are to be found?
In Jesus our Lord.
The
Christmas Season is a time when people are
Subject
to depression more than any other time
Of
the year, in part because we feel that
We
need to buy into a cotton candy
Idea of joyfulness.
But
the true joys are to be found not only in families
Which
may or may not be there for us
And
or in a purpose that we may or
May not be able to see in our life.
True
joys are found when we see and know that
We
do have family in Christ and we do
Have
purpose by the Spirit.
In our men’s prayer breakfast last
Thursday
We
were reading Paul’s letter to the Romans.
Remember
that Paul was in prison
When he wrote this letter.
Remember that he was run out of just
about every
Town
that he had preached in and recall these words:
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are
children
of God…when we cry ‘Abba! Father!’
it
is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit
that
we are children of God, and if children,
then
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ- if in fact,
we
suffer with him so that we may also may be
glorified with him.
For I consider that the suffering
of
this present time is not worth comparing with
the
glory about to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:14-18)
That is where true joy is to be found.
In
the family that is ours in Christ.
In the shared purpose for which God created us.
And
it the Spirit which draws us together
As
children of God and heirs of the
Promise of God.
Amen