Christmas / Navidad 2023 + Gozo/ Joy

 

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

(Isaiah 62:6-12; Psalm 97; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:(1-7)8-20)

 

Joy. Alegría. Mi pensamiento este Navidad es en el gozo. My thoughts this Christmas are of Joy.
Unexpected, unwarranted joy. No quiero decir que no hay cosas terribles en el mundo. I don’t mean to imply there isn’t an awful lot of sadness in the world. But joy, joy joy is what I have in my heart. Tengo un gozo que no se puede entender en mi corazón.

Because, in the midst of a dark time in history, God came. Dios vino y vivió entre nosotros, moró entre nosotros, en la forma de un bebe. God came and dwelt among us, as a baby! And God showed up –where- in the midst of the humble outskirts of an oppressive empire – to whom – to a humble family with little means, including a pregnant teenager. Su madre fue una adolescente y su padre no tenía muchos recursos, pero Dios vino a ellos. God came to them and the announcement was made, as one poem said “to the kind of people who work third shift doing stuff you’d rather not do.”[1] Los ángeles anunciaron la venida de Emanuel a unos pastores. Ellos tal vez estaban trabajando su tercer turno de trabajo del día. Y los ángeles los encontraron a ellos. The angels surprised these shepherds – on their third shift in the hills outside of Bethlehem. Surprised them with joy.

And isn’t that always the way? Joy tends to sneak up on us when we least expect! La alegria viene cuando menos lo anticipa. Another poem I heard this week spoke thus of joy:

“La alegría no llega con fanfarria-

Joy does not arrive with a fanfare,

on a red carpet strewn with the flowers of a perfect life.

sobre una alfombra roja sembrada de flores de una vida perfecta.

Joy sneaks in, as you pour a cup of coffee,

La alegría se viene furtivamente mientras te sirves una taza de café.

watching the sun hit your favourite tree, just right.

Ver el sol tocando tu árbol favorito, de manera perfecto.

Y alejas la alegría,

And you usher joy away,

because you are not ready for it.

Porque no estás lista para ello.

Your house is not as it must be,

for such a distinguished guest.

Tu casa no está preparada por tan distinguido invitado

But joy cares nothing for your messy home,

or your bank-balance,

or your waistline, you see.

Pero a la alegría no le importa nada tu hogar desordenado,

o su saldo bancario,

o tu cintura, ya ves.

Joy is supposed to slither through the cracks of your imperfect life,

that’s how joy works.

La alegría debe deslizarse por las grietas de tu vida imperfecta,

así es como funciona la alegría.

You cannot truly invite her, you can only be ready when she appears.

And hug her with meaning,

because in this very moment,

joy chose you.

Realmente no puedes invitarla, sólo puedes estar listo cuando ella aparezca.

Y abrazarla fuertemente,

porque en este mismo momento,

la alegría te eligió.”[2]

Joy chose you. La alegria de eligió. No sabemos mucho en este mundo. Pero sabemos esto de San Lucas: “Por esto, José salió del pueblo de Nazaret, de la región de Galilea, y se fue a Belén, en Judea, donde había nacido el rey David, porque José era descendiente de David. Fue allá a inscribirse, junto con María, su esposa, que se encontraba encinta. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.”

Sabemos que nació Jesús hace dos mil años y que él nos ama. El nos eligió. Para salvarnos. We don’t know a lot in this broken world, but we do know is that Jesus was born two thousand years ago and loves us. We hear the promise of Isaiah fulfilled: “Say to daughter Zion, "See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him."

He chose us and saved us. From Titus 3: “He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy…” Él nos salvó no por lo que hicimos pero como resultado de su divina misericordia. Él nos salvó. He saved us.
Not so life would be perfect- that was never the promise. Nunca fuimos prometidos una vida perfecta.

But we were promised joy. Pero él nos trajo gozo. Alegría, bienestar. He wishes us peace, joy that passes understanding, and wellbeing that goes beyond the moment we are in.

“Light has sprung up for the righteous, *
and joyful gladness for those who are truehearted. (Ps. 97:11).”

The world is dark. El mundo es oscuro. Let us welcome joy and find a way to light the darkness for others, too. Que demos la bienvenida a la alegría y encendemos una luz en la oscuridad para los demás, también.

Amen.

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[1] Quinn G. Caldwell, “All I Really Want,” from Facebook post, 12.23.23.

[2] Donna Ashworth, “Joy Chose You,” from WILD HOPE: healing words to fight on dark days, (1) Donna Ashworth - JOY CHOSE YOU Joy does not arrive with a... | Facebook.