By Rev. Canon David B. Tabo-oy
[6] There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. [7] This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. [8] He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. [9] That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
[26] John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. [27] It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” -John, 1:6-,9, 26-27,,,,
Most popular in the setlist of carolers especially the children is the song ‘Joy to the World’. The melody is simple and lively, and the lyrics are easy to memorize. Whenever sang it evokes joyful memories of past Christmases particularly spent with loved ones who are no longer with us. But the words of the song define the true reason why Christmas is the most memorable and joyous season of all time. Here are the words and you can sing while reading them: Joy to the world, the Lord is come/Let Earth receive her King/Let every heart prepare Him room/And Heaven and nature sing/
Joy to the Earth, the Savior reigns/Let all their songs employ/While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains/Repeat the sounding joy/He rules the world with truth and grace/And makes the nations prove/The glories of His righteousness/And wonders of His love/And wonders, wonders, of His love..
Joy to the world because the Lord is coming again to rule as King of all kings, He will rule the world with truth, grace, and love.
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“Joy to the World” was written by English minister and hymnist Isaac Watts, based a Christian interpretation of Psalm 98. The song was first published in 1719 in Watts’ collection The Psalms of David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament and applied to the Christian state and worship. The paraphrase is Watts’ Christological interpretation. Consequently, he does not emphasize with equal weight the various themes of Psalm 98. In the first and second stanzas, Watts writes of heaven and earth rejoicing at the coming of the King. Watts also didn’t write this to originally be a Christmas carol, as the lyrics do not reflect the Virgin birth of Jesus, but rather Christ’s Second Coming. Stanza three, an interlude that alludes to Genesis 3:17-19 rather than to the psalm text, speaks of Christ’s blessings extending victoriously over the realm of sin. The cheerful repetition of the phrase “far as the curse is found” has caused this stanza to be omitted from some hymnals. But the line makes joyful sense when understood from the New Testament eyes through which Watts interprets the psalm. Stanza four celebrates Christ’s rule over the nations.”[2] The nations are called to celebrate because God’s faithfulness to the house of Israel has brought salvation to the world. (Wikipedia).
The whole world will rejoice because it shall be released from darkness caused by human sinfulness and peace based on justice shall reign when Jesus Christ will come again to finally establish his kingdom. This promise was inaugurated when Jesus was born on that first Christmas day. This is the joy of Christmas.
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This is the Third Sunday of Advent. It is also known as Gaudete Sunday and is so called because of the Introit of the old Latin Mass which goes as ‘Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete.’ And this means ‘Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice.’ The word Gaudete having the meaning ‘Rejoice’ and ‘Joy’ and hence which is why this Sunday most churches are focusing and contemplating upon the aspect of ‘Joy’ in Advent, after that of ‘Hope’ and ‘Peace’ in the earlier two Sundays of Advent and ‘Love’ in the next and last Sunday of Advent. This Sunday, much like its Lenten counterpart, the Laetare Sunday, marks a short and temporary break from the penitential and more sombre nature of the rest of the Advent season, as we prepare ourselves and anticipate the coming true Joy of Christmas.
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Joy to the world, the Light is here! We live in the shadows because of sin. There is war, famine, natural and man-made calamities descend upon us unexpected in heightened frequency. The future is bleak if we base our forward looking on the prevailing social, political, and economic conditions. We are living in uncertain times very akin to the biblical picture of the end of times, v6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. v7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. (Matthew 24:6-7). These veils of darkness are totally lifted in Jesus whose coming again we anticipate, v12Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12). With this understanding we can add to the popular carol these words, ‘Joy to the world the Light is here… let every darkened lives be lit … And let His light so shine… and let his light so shine… and let his light so shine…!
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This is why it is very important that this Sunday, we should ask ourselves well why is it that we are celebrating the upcoming joyful and festive Christmas season in the first place. Christmas is the time when we all tend to gather together and celebrate together as families and with our friends and loved ones. It is a time full of joy and festivities, and something that generally many if not most people are looking forward to each year. However, let us ask ourselves, what is Christmas, and its joy is to all of us? Is it about all the glitter and festivities, all the food and revelries, all the gifts and exchanging of wishes, all the merrymaking and parties? Or is it about the One Whom we ought to be truly rejoicing in, the One because of Whom Christmas is there in the first place?
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Let us remind ourselves that the Joy of Christmas is truly not about all the gifts, parties, celebrations, merrymaking and all the things that we usually associate with Christmas, all the lights and the revelries, but rather, the very essence and focus of Christmas and our joy should always be on Christ, our Lord, through Whom, the world and all of us have received the sure hope, assurance and hence, being able to rejoice wholeheartedly because all of us, who have once been destined to damnation and destruction, have been saved by the saving power and the works of Our Lord, Who humbled Himself, and willingly embraced us all sinners, by being Incarnate in the flesh, and born of His mother Mary, coming into our midst, God Who is with us, Emmanuel.
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Through Christ and His coming into this world, as He came to walk amongst us, He has shown us all the true nature of God, which is Love and kindness, compassion and mercy. He has always loved us from the very beginning, and He has always been patient in showing us all His kindness and compassion despite all of us having constantly and stubbornly disobeying Him and betraying Him with the wicked idols of this world, as we chose to follow the path of our desires, wealth and all the other temptations around us rather than to follow the path of the Lord. Essentially, we choose to seek the joy that is in the world rather than to seek the true joy that is found in Christ, our Lord alone. That is why today we are all reminded of what is the true joy of Christmas, that is Christ our Lord.
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Hence, let us remind ourselves and one another that Christmas is truly not about comparing who among us can celebrate more beautifully or wonderfully, or whether we will get more presents and gifts than last year, and what kind of presents, gifts and good things we may gain. Instead, Christmas is about us sharing the joy which we have received from Christ our Lord Himself, the fountain of our joy and hope, who has given us His everlasting love and peace. Let us all be the joyful bearers of God’s love to all the whole world, and beginning from ourselves, let us all truly, in all things, properly and worthily welcome the Lord into our midst, as we come to His Presence, seeking Him, our true Joy and Hope, now and always. May the Lord be with us all and may the expectation of His Joy continue to strengthen us for the rest of this Advent season and thereafter.
Let us pray.
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. (Third Sunday of Advent Collect, BCP).**
