As another academic season winds to a close, may God provide you with great rest and cheer this break, and may you grow in joy over the next couple of weeks as you reflect on God’s gift of his Son.
The gospels vary regarding the Christmas event, but “joy” resounds through these accounts. A sampling:
In chapter 2 of his Gospel, Matthew recounts that the Wise Men followed the star “until it came to rest over the place where the child was.” Then he describes what happened: “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” “Rejoiced exceedingly” would seem to excel as a superlative, but Matthew adds “with great joy.” “Rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” pushes the English language, all towards the end of emphasizing the joy of the moment.
Luke, in his account, tells us how the news first broke via an angel: “ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” The news was “great joy.” What follows is stunning: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.” The news precipitated a full-blown multitude of heavenly hosts breaking out into song. That’s some serious joy.
Troubled Zechariah, husband of Elizabeth who would bear the forerunner John the Baptist, heard assurance from an angel: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord.”
Elizabeth’s in utero baby “leaped for joy” when he heard Mary’s voice (Lk 2:44).
Mary burst into song when she realized she was bearing God’s provision: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Lk 2:47).
You get the idea: there was a bunch of joy everywhere on the first Christmas.
A friend of mine, Dan Hayes, used to say that we Christians have managed to do to Christ what his enemies could never do: make him boring. In a similar vein, I wonder if we Christians have managed to do many things to Christmas, such as make it busy, stressful, chaotic, secular, about family, sentimental, centered on presents, and the like, but have somehow lost the outright joy of the occasion.
My prayer for you this break, and for myself and our family, is that this break will be time for all of us to rejoice exceedingly with great joy over God’s kindness and mercy in giving us such a gift as his Son. May this joy be richly yours over the next couple of weeks and beyond.
Joy to the World, the Lord has come!
Rick Hove
Executive Director
Faculty Commons
