Rev. Lori: Joy is the Soft Glow on the Horizon
This reflection was originally published in the previous week’s Friday Flyer.
Hello Good People!
Today is black Friday. I recognize that is a commercial title and not one of any particular significance. It is occurring however, the Friday before the start of advent. Advent being a time of joy for Christians. A season of anticipation of a large and wonderful event to take place. Advent has a wreath with 4 candles to be lit each Sunday leading to Christmas Eve and then a Christ candle on Christmas Eve. The theme of each candle is actually not consistent across Christian denominations in the order they are lit. Sometimes they are not even the same candles. Generally they are peace, joy, hope, and love. On Christmas Eve the Christ candle is lit to mark the coming of Christ. As Unitarian Universalists it is our practice to adapt traditions to reflect our principles and values. The Worship Ministry has done that for the advent season this year. We will be lighting a candle each week. Our candles are: Joy, Hope, Faith/Comunity, Peace and Love on Christmas Eve. Different folks from our community will light the candle each week with a reflection on the significance of the candle.
This week we light the candle of joy. Approaching joy is the soft glow on the horizon, the knowing that even in difficult times, possibilities are unfolding.
It is the hope that stirs when we remember we are held in community, the warmth that rises when kindness passes between us, the courage to trust that light returns. It is a dark time of year. With darker days yet to come as we head towards the solstice. We begin our season advent with lighting a candle of joy. Joy as a spiritual practice, is something we gird ourselves with as we approach the darker days. Joy is a choice even when happiness is not. It isn’t fake to find the spark that brings your light alive and choose to cultivate that spark.
In the Buddhist tradition, joy is not a fleeting emotion that arrives only when life behaves itself. It is a quality of being that arises when we meet the world with clarity and compassion. The Buddha taught that joy comes not from clinging to what we love or avoiding what we fear, but from seeing things as they truly are. I invite you to consider what you cling to that interferes with your joy. What do you cling to that is unhelpful? In the midst of this crazy season, I invite us to choose joy this season.
Peace and Blessings
Rev Lori Whittemore
(she, her, hers)
Unitarian Universalist Church of Saco Biddeford