Rejoice!

As I write this, tomorrow (December 14) is the third Sunday in Advent. In some traditions, it is called “Gaudete Sunday” – the Latin word “gaudete” means “ rejoice”. Below is part of tomorrow’s Old Testament reading:

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor….
Isaiah 61:1-2a

Many Bible scholars think that this text was written at some time after the return from exile in Babylon. The descendents of those who had been exiled to Babylon were finally allowed to return home to Jerusalem – but Jerusalem had been in ruins for decades, the Temple little more than a pile of rubble. Isaiah wrote to encourage those who were struggling to rebuild, to proclaim that God was with them, even in the midst of all their problems.

In Luke 4:14-30 (which is not one of tomorrow’s readings), Jesus preached on this text in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth. His sermon was brief: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” In Luke’s Gospel, for Jesus, this text was a kind of mission statement. And it’s also a mission statement for those who follow Christ today. Given the state of the economy, many find it difficult to rejoice, even as Christmas approaches. It’s important for the church to be a place where those who struggle can find good news. As God was with those struggling to rebuild in Jerusalem thousands of years ago, God is with us now – and so even in the midst of our problems, we can rejoice.