“We Sing”

           The advent theme at my church is "How Does a Weary World Rejoice?". This past Sunday the pastor talked about holding joy and weariness at the same time, finding a way to realize we can be both joyful and weary even in the same moment.

         The world feels weary right now; but I suppose it always has. When in our history has there been a time without oppression, without greed, without violence and war? When in human history has there not been someone somewhere crying out, “How do we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” Sometimes, though, if you’re like me, it feels harder each year, the negativity gets louder, the voice of hope dimmer. But then, maybe I’m just getting old.

         During a difficult time recently, I found myself hearing the message, “It’s all goodness.” I tried to dismiss that message. “It can’t be all goodness,” I heard myself say. “How can I possibly think war is all goodness? How can I possibly celebrate that all is goodness when there is so much evil and hardship flourishing around me?”

         But I heard the message and it has stayed with me. It doesn’t feel polly-annish or unaware or even saccharine. It feels truthful and I have found myself calling upon that message ever since. Because if I believe what I say I believe, then all things work for good. All things will come to goodness. It doesn’t discount the evil. It doesn’t minimize the hardships, the ugliness, the sorrow. It just means, in the words of Julian of Norwich, “And all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.”

         So, we come into the season of anticipating God’s arrival with hope. We come into this season recognizing the weariness we all carry but also the joy that comes in the morning. And even though it seems totally unlikely, we lift our voices and sing.

         The Chinese proverb reminds us, “A bird does not sing because he has an answer, he sings because he has a song.”

         Let us rise up my friends, even in the weariness, even with hope and sing.

You are the light of the world!

Warmly,

Lynne

The Service of Lament is now monthly. First Thursday of the month beginning this Thursday.

Service of Lament, First Thursday of the month at Noon

First Presbyterian Church Chapel (Park on North side of Church)

215 Locust Street NE

Albuquerque, NM 87102