Hannah prayed, “My heart rejoices in my Creator; my strength is exalted in God. God raises up the poor from dust; lifts the needy from the garbage pile. God sits the rejected ones of society with the elect, giving them the seat of honor!”
~~~ I Samuel 2:1, 8
Hannah was without a child of her own. She prayed to God…and promised to give her child into God’s service. Hannah conceived and gave birth to Samuel (which means I Have Asked For Him), and brought Samuel to the Temple to be instructed by Eli. Samuel would eventually become the Spiritual Leader of Israel … the Prophet and Judge of Israel’s first two Kings, Saul and David.
I focus on Hannah this day because she prays with her whole being…so passionate in prayer at the Temple that Eli thought she was drunk. Hannah’s prayer ends up rejoicing in God … and as we come to the end of this week of Advent Joy … we can see how the light of God glows with the promise of redemption for the world. We anticipate this gift of redeeming grace in the birth of Jesus.
Joy truly comes with the dawn; the light of the new day that brightens the world with possibilities. The pink candle we have lit this week glows differently from the colors of purple … hope and peace are bright … but the pink of joy glows with the warmth of rich possibilities. Joy comes in the morning. Joy is our light of possibilities. Joy was Hannah’s answer to the misery that others had thrust upon her; yet she never gave up the hope…she prayed for the possibility of peace…and she was rewarded in the joy…not just of a son…but God’s Light!
Our Shelter Guests prayed for a Christmas Tree . . . this is their tree of Great Joy!
The Joy of this weeks brings us closer to the presence of God’s Grace made visible in our lives at Christmas. Where is you joy this week…even as we live with the new reality of the Purple Tier of Covid-19. . . .
Prayer for Advent (adapted from Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.): As we pray in God’s Joy, help us to trust that our efforts of kindness are bringing hope…peace…joy
to the world’s discouragement. Amen.
Jay P., United Methodist Church of Santa Cruz
