1st Sunday of Advent, Year B

O Holy Night! the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope- the weary world rejoices…
~O Holy Night, Placide Cappeau, 1847

How does a weary world rejoice?

This is a live question for us as Advent once again breaks into our yearly cycle. Weary, to be sure! There are no shortage of events and conditions and realities that we can point to as catalysts for our weariness.

So this year, we are straying a little from the usual cycle of readings to attend to a few stories in Luke that don’t get as much attention, to ask how do we rejoice in this moment? Where does hope and resilience come from? To ask, how does a weary world rejoice?

As we move through the season we will propose some answers to the question. This first Sunday, Advent 1, we sit quietly with Zechariah (and Elizabeth) and a text that does not make it anywhere into the lectionary cycle and suggest that a weary world rejoices by acknowledging it’s weariness. And so shall we. May we too rejoice.

How does a weary world rejoice?
I think delayed Christmas cards count--
the ones with the haphazard stamps,
mailed three weeks late.
I think the way you get down on all fours
to be close to your dog
And your cousin’s baby counts;
it’s a holy routine.
I think the way you stretch your body awake
 and breathe deeply when you rise counts;
that’s Yahweh in your lungs.
I think the extra second you spent
looking at the sky last night,
and not being afraid to dance counts.
 
So does giving up your seat on the subway
for someone’s grandfather,
helping her carry the stroller up the stairs,
and running to catch the man who
dropped his bag in the crosswalk.
Lighting candles when the sun disappears,
laughing so hard others begin to stare,
and pausing to look at trees every once in a
while to say “Good job with that one God”
all definitely counts;
as do mumbled prayers
and children’s prayers
and every measure of music.
 
How does a weary world rejoice?
I would guess
soul by soul
and day by day.
But if you ask me,
I bet most of it counts.

~Sarah A. Speed @writingthegood, December 4, 2021

Enter into worship this Advent Sunday, in-person online.
 

​Readings:  Isaiah 64:1-9 † Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 † Luke 1:1-23
 
About the Art: Annunciation to Zechariah, Lauren Wright Pittman. Inspired by Luke 1:1-23. From Sanctified Art (sanctifiedart.org). Used by permission.
 
From the artist:
Zechariah stands in the Holy Place wearing the most meticulous of garments. Does he expect to encounter the divine? Or is he just going through the motions, lighting the incense as an all-too-familiar scent fills the air?...
 
I ruminated on this image… a weary priest wrapped in layered fabrics, colors, symbols, textures, and rare stones that proclaim God’s providence and power. The contrast is not lost on me…
 
I often try to neglect my weariness by putting on a veneer of unwavering trust in God—while feeling like I may suddenly unravel into a pile of beautifully-curated threads, stones, and gold accessories.

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