Third Monday of Advent – Isaiah 29:18-29
On that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a scroll,
and out of their gloom and darkness
the eyes of the blind shall see.
The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord,
and the neediest people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.
The word joy conjures up images of a child on Christmas morning, running down the stairs to see the brand new bike her parents got for her, or scenes of a mother being surprised by her son who has just returned from his deployment.
Joy isn’t just a happy feeling that causes us to smile – it’s something that reaches deep into our hearts and demands a response.
One thing that both examples have in common is that joy is a result of someone receiving a gift that they did not expect. It goes past what we think we want and gives us what we deeply and truly long for.
The reading from Isaiah shows us a promise of joy for all people. The deaf receive the unexpected gift of hearing, of music and laughter and birdsong, and those who cannot see experience the beauty of light and color once again.
The promise of Advent is that the people who have experienced hardship and loss will be given exactly what they need. Those who have long forgotten what it’s like to have joy deep in their soul will once again know what it’s like to experience such a gift.
- How have you experienced joy?
- Have you ever experienced something that took your joy away?
- What would cause you to experience joy again?