"Oh, Tidings of Comfort and Joy"
On Sunday we lit the third candle of
Advent - also known as the joy candle. If you aren’t familiar with the Advent
candles, there are five candles, four in a circle with one in the middle. Each
Sunday leading up to Christmas and on Christmas Eve one is lit, a Scripture is
read, and a prayer is offered. Some churches ask different people to read and light
the candles each week. As you get closer to Christmas Eve, more candles are lit
until there is one left in the very middle, which represents Jesus.
There
are three purple candles, one pink candle, and one white candle. The pink
candle is the joy candle, and I always get a little extra excited when we light
that candle. For one, it is pink and different from all the others so it stands
out a little more. But mainly it is because of what it represents and the
Scripture that goes along with it.
As
the joy candle is lit, usually Luke 1:46-55 is read. This section of Scripture
is often called “The Magnificat,” and is Mary’s song of praise she offers after
hearing she will give birth to the Messiah. It is a joyful song where Mary
glorifies God and reflects on other times God has shown His faithfulness. Joy
candle Sunday is a great reminder of what the Christmas season is about.
Here is Mary’s song from Luke in the New
Revised Standard Version:
“My soul magnifies the
Lord,
and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with
favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from
now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has
done great things for me,
and holy is
his name.
His mercy is for those who
fear him
from
generation to generation.
He has shown strength with
his arm;
he has
scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
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.
He has helped his servant
Israel,
in
remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise
he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham
and to his descendants forever.”
It’s
a beautiful outpouring of Mary’s joyfulness. But what if you are feeling
anything but joyful this year? Maybe you are overwhelmed with all the shopping
and with wrapping gifts. Are you exhausted from traveling or coordinating
schedules? Maybe you have lost a loved one or will be celebrating Christmas
alone this year. Did you get called into work when you didn’t expect it? Is
there just so much going on that the joy of Christmas seems like a lofty dream
at this point?
If
that is the case for you, know that you are not alone. Christmas isn’t always
Hallmark movies and hot chocolate. For some of us, even in the midst of joy and
gratitude, the season can be a little much.
I
often wonder what Mary’s life was like in the months between the angel visiting
her and Jesus’s birth. What types of stress must she have been under? What was
it like when she told Joseph about the miracle she would be a part of? How did
her family react? Can you imagine her living nine months as a pregnant,
unmarried woman knowing the miracle that was unfolding with so few believing
her?
Yet,
with all she was going through and all her fears about what she would go
through, Mary stopped to sing a song that magnifies God. She put her stress and
worries aside as she praised God’s faithfulness, strength, and mercy.
My
challenge for myself - and for you as well - is to find moments to praise God
in the middle of all the Christmas chaos. Looking at my schedule and my check
lists I feel like it might be impossible to squeeze in. But if Mary could stop
and rejoice in the Lord then surely I can find the time to, as well. Don’t let
the Christmas season pass without thanking God for what it truly means.
an Associate Pastor at
Generations of Grace in
Lebanon, TN
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