Joy - Third Sunday of Advent 2020

The candle we light on the third Sunday of Advent is known both as “the candle of joy” and as “the shepherds’ candle”.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 

Luke 2:8-18

I have heard people define “joy” as simply personal happiness, but I have also heard dour, unhappy people twist their brains into pretzels attempting to define “joy” in a way that makes their clearly unpleasant demeanours somehow virtuous.

Both of these approaches are thinking too small. I think the story of the shepherds opens our minds to something bigger. The shepherds dropped everything to pursue the joyful message of the angel, and once they had seen it for themselves, told everyone around them.

In one of Jesus’ shortest parables, we find something similar:

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Matthew 13:44

Joy is a motivator. It is neither simple personal happiness nor some abstract spiritual virtue. It is that which makes us drop everything for the sake of what Jesus is offering. Not out of guilt, not out of obligation, but because we cannot help but see how much better it is. Our own joy compels us to seek the same for everyone around us.

Fear is also a motivator. It makes us hold tight to what we have and to lash out at anyone or anything threatening that to which we are most attached. Fear sees itself in everything, and it is often those who are most afraid who accuse others of fearfulness.

The angel entreated the shepherds to choose joy over fear. Here, at the beginning of a new year, in the hopeful, flickering light of our Advent candles, which will we choose?