In the Magnificat – Luke 1: 46-55 and the various classical pieces by that name – Mary, the mother of Jesus sings a song of joy at the coming birth of her child. She envisions a world turned on its head where justice and peace are the norm; a world where God’s mercy is known by all and where the promises of God come to be. It is a dream of what might be, of what God intends for God’s creation and humanity – a world, a universe of justice and peace. This dream is a reason to sing for joy to all the earth.
But is this dream of a teenage mother from a small country town still possible after 2000 years? We struggle to find joy in the world, in our lives. It would be easy to dismiss this young mother-to-be except we know her vision has merit we’ve heard stories, seen things and known firsthand the joy of which she sings. But Christmas is TEN days away and right now joy seems light-years from here. Where is it we find the joy Mary has in her heart? How can we sing for joy? As we walk through the mall or around downtown streets we see many faces locked in scowls, clouded over in a daze. We hear others talk about all that they still need to do and how they don’t have the time or energy to do it all. Joy seems far from them and their preparations for Christmas. And we ask how can joy be found among the hustle and hassle of the countdown to Christmas?
The thing is joy isn’t something that can be forced or manipulated. Joy isn’t something you dig up or plan for. Joy is something that you discover. It is something that just happens. It is something unexpected. Joy isn’t calculated it is spontaneous. Joy isn’t often reasonable or logical it is always surprising and special. Each and every one of us has known joy in our lives. That moment when you realize your love is being returned – that’s joy. The first sounds of your new born – that’s joy. The unexpected call or visit from family or friend – that’s joy. The lick of a puppy’s tongue as it vaults into your lap – that’s joy. The quiet moment when your favorite Christmas song plays – that’s joy. When you receive your one year of sobriety token – that’s joy. When the doctor says, “The tumor is gone” – that’s joy; when you hand a poor child a gift –that’s joy. When you smile and look at a homeless person who smiles back – that’s joy.
Joy is a hundred, a thousand, a million different moments, activities, actions, events, and each one is like the song Mary sings. Each one is a brief reminder that God’s promises are for real and being realized each and every day. Each is a glimpse of the commonwealth of God that is and yet to be. Each one is – even if it is very short lived – a peek into what God dreams for the universe. One moment of joy can erase hundreds of moments of despair and heartache. One moment of joy can give you strength to continue partnering with God. One brief encounter with joy can give you the dedication to push on in your efforts to transform your life, the lives of others and the world.
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You see, we are living in the world that Mary sings about: “He has…lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry.” When Jesus came joy came with him. With Jesus came a new world order – peace, hope, joy, and love were turned lose upon all creation and the priorities are no longer wealth, status and getting yours. Joy is the banner under which we face the world. It is our strength and shield. Joy colors all we see and hear and do. Joy that is untamed and unfettered; we know the secret, we have the answer, we get it.
The world of pain and oppression, the world of separation and injustice, the world of power and greed has already come to an end. That is the source of our joy. That is why we can smile at the insanity of our post-modern world and sing “Joy to the world the Lord has come.” If you didn’t join us at Vermont Hills Church for our Advent Afternoon “Carols, Cookies & Coco” you missed some moments of joy and the singing a relatively new Christmas song “If I Could Visit Bethlehem.” Part of the lyrics go:
If Mary asked me who I was and what her child would do,
I wouldn’t talk about the cross or tell her all I knew.
I’d say “He’ll never hurt or kill, and joy will follow tears.
We’ll know his name and love him still in twenty hundred years.”
We know that Jesus is the coming of joy – the coming of a new world order – the coming of justice and peace. We’ve know this since his birth twenty hundred years ago.
We know that time and time and time again injustice and violence try to take back the world but they cannot because joy has been released. Every time peace is found, every time hope is born, every time love is made real joy resounds. Every time someone, somewhere helps another, every time words are used instead of violence, every time someone responds to treatment joy is known. Every single time a smile breaks out on the face of a poor person or a person who is hurting in their soul, every time a species is brought back from the brink of extinction, every time someone says “why not” joy rains down from above.
So where do we find the joy Mary has in her heart? How can we sing for joy? How can joy be found among the hustle and hassle of the countdown to Christmas? Easy, just look around and you’ll find joy busting forth. Pause for a moment and you’ll even find joy leaking out of you. Be a secret Santa to everyone you meet giving the gift of joy. You know how to do this, you can make it happen. In case you’ve forgotten or don’t think you know how I refer you to the movie “Scrooged” and the ending where they sing together “Put a Little Love in Your Heart.” Here are the words: (Words and Music by Jackie DeShannon, Jimmy Holiday, and Randy Myers )
Think of your fellow man lend him a helping hand
Put a little love in your heart
You see it's getting late Oh, please don't hesitate
Put a little love in your heart
And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place
For you and me you just wait and see
Another day goes by still the children cry
Put a little love in your heart
If you want the world to know we won't let hatred grow
Put a little love in your heart
And the world (and the world) will be a better place
All the world (all the world) will be a better place
For you (for you) and me (and me)
You just wait (just wait) and see, wait and see
Take a good look around and if you're looking down
Put a little love in your heart
I hope when you decide kindness will be your guide
Put a little love in your heart
That’s what I’m talking about, living you joy each day. As partners of Jesus we share our joy with others as yet another way of celebrating Christmas – a way that emphasizes what can be when love and justice rule. Jesus is the coming of joy – the coming of a new world order that makes peace, hope, joy and love the priorities of our lives. Christmas is the time to reclaim joy as the banner under which we face the world. Joy to the world our Savior reigns! We celebrate the world of love and justice that comes into being wherever faithful people live out their joy, sharing it with others. The birth of Jesus is the birth of Joy.
Come Jesus, Joy of the world, come.
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