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Joy Beyond All Joy
Advent and Christmas are seasons of joy. There's joy in the waiting, in the preparation, in the anticipation. We hear it everywhere in these weeks—Mary's soul rejoicing in the Magnificat, John the Baptist leaping for joy in Elizabeth's womb, the shepherds receiving joyful news on Christmas night.
This joy isn't just a nice feeling we're supposed to work up during the holidays. It's a reminder of what following Christ actually is. Our Lord is a God of joy. Living the faith, following Him—it's meant to be joyful.
We forget that sometimes. We make faith about duty, about obligation, about checking boxes. And while there's discipline involved, that's not the heart of it. The heart of it is joy.
Advent also reminds us what's at stake. Heaven isn't just some pleasant place we're trying to reach. It's a place of joy beyond our wildest imagination. We're not missing out on something that's merely nice. We're missing out on joy that makes everything we've ever experienced here look like a shadow.
So as we light these candles and prepare for Christmas, let's remember: we're preparing to welcome Joy Himself. The One who came to give us life abundantly. The One who wants us to share in His joy—now and forever.
