Seeker

You came to this world for the poor in spirit, the broken-hearted, those held captive, those lost in sin. You came to this world to bring good news, wholeness into lives, to bring release and to forgive. You came to this world to guide your people from a desert place to a kingdom of love and grace. You came to this world to show how far love is prepared to go, and on a cross showed heaven and earth. Halleluiah! Amen. ©John Birch, faithandworship.com Image Credit: Daily Verses

On this 15th day of Advent the #AdventWord is #rejoice. This elephant seems to be rejoicing in the moment. That is why I chose it for today's word 'rejoice'. Today happens to be the 3rd Sunday of Advent, sometimes called 'rejoicing Sunday' or 'Gaudete' Sunday. Some churches indicate that this is a Sunday to rejoice by using rose coloured vestments or lighting a pink candle among the otherwise purple or blue Advent Candles. For those churches that follow the Revised Common Lectionary, at least one of the Bible readings used in church on this 3rd Sunday of Advent gives a reason to rejoice or has a call to be joyful. It provides a more upbeat tone in what can be a solemn season. How can Christians rejoice when there is so much wrong in the world? When so many people face seemingly hopeless situations that never seem to get better? Isn't that to put our heads in the sand, to use religion as an escape from real problems? What if you are fe...

Rejoice! What? With so much that's wrong in the world? When so many people are facing apparently hopeless situations that never seem to get better? How can anyone in such circumstances rejoice? Why am I even thinking about rejoicing? There is a reason. Today, the 3rd Sunday of Advent, is sometimes called 'rejoicing Sunday' or 'Gaudete Sunday'. Some churches today indicate that it's a Sunday for joy by using rose coloured vestments or lighting a pink candle among the otherwise purple or blue Advent candles. At least one of the Bible readings used in church on this 3rd Sunday of Advent either gives a reason to rejoice or has a call to be joyful. And that is why this Sunday is marked for rejoicing. Well that's all very well. What if you don't feel joyful today? Are you supposed to pretend joy when you might have many good reasons to feel thoroughly miserable? I don't think so - pretending joy would be to add guilt to the misery and also misunder...

"What then should we do?" This is the question that the crowds asked John the Baptist as they saw the need for things to change in the face of coming judgement. It is a question we need to keep asking. In the face of all that's wrong in the world and in our own lives, what should we do? In the face of continuing wars, devastating natural and human-made disasters, what should we do? In the face of apparently senseless slaughter of little children and adults in Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut, USA, what should we do? In the face of so much suffering in the world, what should we do? It's the 3rd Sunday of Advent, sometimes called Rejoicing Sunday because at least one of the Bible readings today gives reasons for joy. But how can you be joyful when grieving? Joy is not always present. Isn't it sometimes more important to weep with those who weep?  Bonnie Harr posted a prayer on Light for the Journey's Facebook Page yesterday, especially for th...