Having the Joy

Joy is not the shallow delight that fades with every shifting circumstance, nor is it the fragile happiness that trembles at the first sign of difficulty. Joy is the deep music of the soul awakened by the presence of God. It is the gladness that wells up when the Creator Himself stoops to walk within His creation. Mary's Magnificent is not the song of a young woman swept up in momentary excitement, but the anthem of a heart set alight by the nearness of the Almighty.

In the Incarnation joy takes on flesh, just as hope and peace did before it. The ancient church understood this truth and marked the third Sunday of Advent as Gaudete Sunday, a command to rejoice even in the midst of waiting. The rose-colored candle stands as a gentle reminder that the light grows brighter, and the promise draws near. Joy does not wait for the world to improve, for it springs from the One who has entered the world to redeem it.