Tag: Advent Joy

The Wisdom of Advent – Learning to Wait Week 3: Joy. A Prayer for Comfort and Joy Our life this Advent may not be overflowing with Christmas joy. Our waiting may weigh heavy on our hearts, even as we hope for the joy of Christmas to wipe away the hard feelings of waiting. But denying… Continue reading Advent Week 3 – December 17, 2022

The Wisdom of Advent – Learning to Wait Week 3: Joy. Archbishop Tutu offers this observation on the nature of joy, “We are fragile creatures, and it is from this weakness, not despite it, that we discover the possibility of joy.”1 This quote comes from The Book of Joy, written after the Archbishop learned that… Continue reading Advent Week 3 – December 16, 2022

The Wisdom of Advent – Learning to Wait Week 3: Joy. The “comfort and joy” song (as I call it in my mind, rather than the awkward title “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”) is one of my favorites this time of year. For some reason, the juxtaposition of those two words is compelling. Each word… Continue reading Advent Week 3 – December 15, 2022

The Wisdom of Advent – Learning to Wait Week 3: Joy. Joy and gratitude are inherently linked. Karl Barth (a Swiss theologian) once said, “Joy is really the simplest form of gratitude.” When we recognize our blessings and feel grateful, it inevitably leads to a feeling of joy. And when we feel joy, we can’t… Continue reading Advent Week 3 – December 14, 2022

The Wisdom of Advent – Learning to Wait Week 3: Joy. It can be hard to find joy when we’re in a long season of waiting. Bonhoeffer offers a shift in perspective and characterizes this difficulty as an “austere blessedness,” reminding us that waiting is inevitable for the greatest, most profound things in the world.… Continue reading Advent Week 3 – December 13, 2022

The Wisdom of Advent – Learning to Wait Week 3: Joy. The concept of God’s kingdom being simultaneously here in time but not yet here is an idea that both confuses and inspires me. It feels like a Zen koan, designed to jolt the mind out of our usual method of linear thinking and inspire… Continue reading Advent Week 3 – December 12, 2022

The Wisdom of Advent – Learning to Wait Week 3: Joy. We’re entering the third week of Advent, lighting the rose-colored candle (the liturgical color for joy) in our Advent Wreath. This week, I’ll explore what Advent can teach us about finding joy as we wait. During a season of waiting, it can feel like… Continue reading Advent Week 3 – December 11, 2022