Day 8: A Witness

The Lord sets prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.

The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the strangers;
upholds the orphan and the widow.

—Psalm 146:7-9

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On the 2nd Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of Joy:

The Joy of Jesus,

of God-With-Us,
does not come as naïve optimism,
or surface level feel-good-ness.

The Joy of Jesus,

of God-With-Us,
is mingled with the hard stuff of life,
and knows that pain is all too real,
but does not have the final word.

This Joy tends tenderly
to the gladness that comes
from paying attention to what matters.

This Joy invites our expectation,
and demands our participation.

Prepare the way for joy.

Light the candle of joy