Joy.

“Tell me what brings you joy?” It is the question  posed this past week to our church congregation, St. Stephanus by Pastor Thompson.  You would think after losing my job of eleven years a week prior that this question would be tough, but I had to keep my hands tightly secure under my legs for fear of pumping my hand in the air like Horshack and yelling, “Oh, I know, Mr. Kotter.”  Thankfully, Ms. Jackie gave the answer I was so carefully suppressing, “We are family.”

Family.  Yes, we are family and it is precisely why I refuse to let the a small thing like losing a job keep me from feeling joy this Christmas Season.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer states,

“God cannot endure that unfestive, mirthless attitude of ours in which we eat our bread in sorrow, with pretentious, busy haste, or even with shame.  Through our daily meals He is calling us to rejoice, to keep holiday in the midst of our working day.”

How true this statement is!  Yes, we all suffer losses, but if we refuse to recognize the joy, then we reject God’s gift to us – Jesus!  Jesus did not just come to give us relief from our suffering here on earth, but rather to give us eternal life, relief from our sins.  Our church family follows Jesus’ example of sharing in each others’ joy and pain.

Our connecting groups at St. Stephanus embrace God’s promise that our Savior will always be here for us and therefore, it is our mission to share our joy with others.  I pray all of you this Christmas Season and beyond, will share that joy that is “down in the depths of your heart.”  After all, we are a FAMILY!