Isaiah 61: 1-4 and 8-11; John 1:6-8 and 19-28; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

This is the Sunday of Joy and during this season of preparing for the coming of Jesus, there are many things that bring us joy. We see pure joy while watching the magic and wonder of the holidays: colorful houses, (and even with the pandemic) busy malls, visiting families; We see pure joy when we find the perfect gift to surprise a loved one; We feel pure joy when we watch our all-time favorite Christmas movie, when we sing carols or put up lights or take vacation; In Christmas we know what joy is, how it looks like, how smells like, how tastes like, and how feels like.

During this Sunday of joy, I have been asking myself, how can I preach joy when so many people are going through tough times? how can I even dare to speak of joy when right now so many people are in the emergency Room fighting for their lives, and one person is dying in the country every 40 seconds because of COVID-19, and others are going through grief because they have lost a love one during this pandemic.? The answer I gave myself was, we can, and we must proclaim Joy regardless of our condition, why? because we have a good reason for it: God has fulfilled His promise, a Savior is coming soon; we must share joy, because it is not just any joy; it is the joy of the Lord. Regarding this joy, Nehemiah chapter 8:10 says: “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

The scripture we read from Isaiah this morning is full of the joy of the Lord. In it we find the joy of the Lord for those who mourn, because they will be comfort, God will also provide for those who grieve, He will change ashes for a crown of beauty and oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. God will transform their condition. And those are good reasons to be joyful. We must remember that these words, these promises from the prophet were said to people who were suffering exile; to people who for years were longing to come back to their land; to people who were waiting for God’s prophesy to be fulfill. Therefore, we can say without any doubt that the joy of the Lord is offered especially for those -as we are right now- who are going through hard times, because it is precisely in those times when we need His strength the most.

For a lot of people in this world this season comes with mixed feelings. During this celebration they may be frightened by their emotions; they might be feeling alone because of the lost or separation of a loved one and might fear that they may never get over. Amid their grief they need to hear the message of the prophet, and as God’s people we are here “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve. We are here to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, oil of joy instead of mourning, and garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Because, the Joy of the Lord, my sisters, and brothers, is not the absence of problems or grieve, it is the promise that during those times God is with us, He will provide His strength and He will uphold us with His righteous right hand.

Remember the advent’s message! God has defeated this world; light has defeated darkness; chaos has been defeated by a new order. And this is not just an optimistic message just to lift us up and make us feel right. No, this is our faith, this is our hope.

Christ’s birth brings joy to this world in the purest form. Christ’s birth enables us to be happy again, to feel excited again, and to feel the joy deep in our souls. Why? Because He is our Hope. Hope not only for our present; He is our eternal hope. “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Says Psalm 30:5. Like the shepherds, it is normal to be terrified and confused for what is going on in our lives. But, the joy of Advent is that help is on the way, Christ will be born, and our souls will be satisfied. Advent’s promise is: “Gladness and joy will overtake sorrows and sadness, and sorrow and sadness will flee away.” Isaiah 51:11.

Remember His promise to be with us always; He is in us and among us. And most of all remember Nehemiah 8:10: the joy of the LORD is your strength.