Third Sunday of Advent
Reflection
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks.
1Thess 5:16
In the midst of the problems of our own times, we hold onto the promise of Advent. At this midpoint we pause to rejoice. We read the words of Isaiah and believe that God can work in our times bringing unity and peace to us. Jesus courageously preached this vision in his world and we hold fast to the remarkable promise of his words. Those words resonate in us with the possibility of new life. Yet, we know that if it is to happen we must do our part too. We hold on to the hope that we will experience the grace of joy breaking through the darkness and into our world.
Prayer
God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid.
Isaiah 12:2
Action
Work to limit your anxieties and reflect on the message of good news sent through Jesus. Who do I see as a model of inner joy?
Suggested Readings
I rejoice heartily in the Lord,
in my God is the joy of my soul.
Isaiah 61:12
Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
1Thessalonians 5:16
He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners.
Isaiah 61:1
Into our beautiful yet wounded world comes Emmanuel, God-with-us, carrying the promise of fresh hope to enliven our hearts. No matter how broken or seemingly hopeless our world may sometimes seem, the Advent messages are rich with joyous expectation and longing, insisting that God can and does bring forth life where none seems possible.
Pope Francis
We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same.
Carlos Castaneda
The joyful heart sees and reads the world with a sense of freedom and graciousness.
John O’Donohue
Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.
Henri Nouwen
Joy is not the absence of suffering. It is the presence of God.
Robert Schuller
True joy results when we become aware of our connectedness to everything.
Paul Pearsall
We need Joy as we need air.
We need Love as we need water.
We need each other as we need the earth we share.
Maya Angelou
Always remember, Joy is not incidental to spiritual quest.
It is vital.
Rebbe Nachman
I cannot believe that the inscrutable universe turns on an axis of suffering; surely the strange beauty of the world must somewhere rest on pure joy!
Louise Bogan
We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.
Buddha
Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.
Joseph Campbell