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On the Road to Rejoicing

December 15, 2024

Zephaniah 3:14-20| Philippians 4:4-7| Luke 3: 7-18

I am someone who spent much of my early adulthood getting lost, often in cities, and all too frequently in some pretty shady areas in those cities. The advent of GPS, and its progression to apps that I can have on hand wherever I am has transformed my life. While traveling to new places used to be anxiety inducing it is now a source of freedom and joy. To be quite honest, it would have been really useful to have an app to help process and understand today’s lectionary readings as they abound with lessons we can learn.  The lectionary challenges us by grouping these passages together. Zephaniah, the Canticle, and even the Gospel reading feature prophecies about the Kingdom of God that sit in the tension of fulfilled (Christ’s coming) and the wait for yet-to-be fulfilled (God’s Kingdom on Earth). There are warnings from John the Baptist and calls for rejoicing from Paul and the Old Testament prophets. What are we to make of it?  If we look closely, a few threads emerge that weave through the readings. These might guide our understanding and deepen our appreciation of what awaits us when the new light breaks into the world and Advent gives way to Christmas.  

Our faith tells us that God is everywhere; however there are long stretches where God seems to be silent. The days seem dark, the path seems unclear, so often we feel alone. Today’s readings comfort us by providing insight as to where God is and what is being brought to pass in the heavenly realm.  The reality of our post-Incarnation, pre-Christ’s Return existence comes into focus. We live in the age between, the one in which God the Son, the Powerful One, has already come, and yet we are promised that Christ will return.   Paul counsels the first generation of our age of God’s close proximity.  The Church has been living in Advent since the Ascension. Hundreds of years before John the Baptizer appeared in the desert with a dire warning, Isaiah and Zephaniah prophesied about God’s plan of restoration and redemption. We cling to God’s promise of eternity with God in our midst. In this prolonged second-advent, the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives is a sweet foretaste of what is to come. Here’s some Good News: God is coming, God is near, God is in our midst. 

Old Testament: 

Zephaniah 3:15, 17:  “The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst…The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory.”

Psalm

Canticle 9 (Isaiah 12:6):  “…for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.” 

Epistle

Philippians 4:5:  “The Lord is near.”

Gospel

Luke 3:16b: “One who is more powerful than I is coming…” 

Even in light of the Good News, the waiting is hard. As we enter into the third week of Advent, are you finding yourself inwardly (or outwardly) asking “are we there yet?” Is the waiting worthwhile? How will we find the strength to endure? The best news might just be that we are not expected to go it alone.  Despite being warned of impending judgement, John’s followers waited expectantly for the Christ to come so that they might be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. Paul describes this new way of life in Christ as one in which our hearts and minds will be guarded by God’s peace. I know so many in our St. Luke’s community have experienced this pleasant side-effect of our faith; there is nothing like it.  Wouldn’t it be good enough just to have salvation through Christ, the counsel of the Holy Spirit, and God’s peace to strengthen and encourage us? Just when you think you’ve gotten everything you could ever ask for, Zephaniah chimes in with a glimpse  into God’s plan for us once this season of waiting is over;  “The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”  God provides the victory. God rejoices over us. God renews us. God’s doing the heavy lifting and at the end God sings over us loudly and joyfully.  I can’t imagine a sound I’m more excited to hear than God’s loud, joyful song over restored humanity. 

Our part in God’s story is to wait and walk in faith. To repent and recalculate when we realize we’re lost. And to Rejoice and sing along.

“Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!”

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

Debra Dioguardi