GREAT MORNING BELOVED!!

Great Morning and Merry Christmas to you all!

We are back with our final Sunday of Advent. Our Advent theme is JOY. (Light candles Hope/faith. Peace, love, joy)

When we light the Advent candle for joy, we remind ourselves of the spiritual truth of this season: “Unto us a child is born.”

Charles Fillmore states in the Revealing Word “joy is the happiness of God, expressed through humankind”

There is a Chinese Proverb: “One joy scatters a hundred griefs.”

 

How have YOU been scattering JOY? Think on that for a few minutes. How have you done that? Close your eyes and see the joy you give to your family…your friends….your neighbors….maybe strangers passing by, or in the store…

I bet you have a smile on your face!

In telling the Christmas story, the Gospel writers remind us that when things seem darkest, joy can come in unexpected places and small packages.

And are we not seeing the small package of vaccines that are one of the answers to this pandemic? We have seen many things through these months…some very good and some an indication that we, as a nation and a world, have much to still do.

Isn’t this the perfect time to look at what is ours to do, this time when we are reminded of the Christ presence within each and every one of us.

Christmas brings out the inner child in us. Children remind us of the joy of playing, giving, learning, and loving. In the presence of such joy, our inner child can awaken our Christ nature and then the Messiah is truly born.

Jesus told us, “unless we become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

If given the opportunity, spend some time with some youngsters, watch their eyes as they reflect the joys of Christmas. Talk with them and hear their words, so simply stated. That’s where we will find love and joy and peace.

Christmas is not an event that happens only in December or 2,000 years ago in Palestine. Christmas happens as we open to the possibility of hope, when we live in the understanding of peace, and when we give love.

We can certainly look with hope now and moving forward, for we can see the end of this pandemic and see the light that we each bring to the world as we express the joy of the season.

WE can see a light at the end of this year. We can look with hope and declare to do our best as the new year starts with prayers for an end to the division in our country.

WE can pray for peace.

The joy that is Christmas—the birth of the Christ, happens all the time, every minute of every day. As the days get shorter and darkness seems to close in, we light the candle for joy to remind ourselves of the power and presence within us. Then we celebrate the season with newfound glee. We pray for the guidance and strength to always do our best.

Our 4^th Agreement is “Do your best.”

Easy — right?

WE have explored Hope & faith, peace, love and now joy for Advent, anticipating the arrival of the Christ Spirit, reminding all of us that we are one in the Christ.

All of us! No one is left out.

And we have looked at each Advent theme through the lens of the 4 agreements: Be impeccable with your word; Don’t take anything personally; Don’t make assumptions; and now Always do your best.

Today is all about Joy! What is one way to discover joy? To always do your best!

Don’t you always feel joy in accomplishing a deed or a job, a work assignment or maybe completing a gift for someone?

When we let ourselves off the hook of having to be or do differently, an inherent joy is discovered. We just BE!

As each faith tradition takes time to experience the light of this joyous season, not everyone will be feeling happy. Some of us may feel isolated or lonely.

This reminder is especially for you.

You are whole, no matter where you are on our journey. You may not feel like celebrating, and that’s okay, but you can remind yourself: I am joy.

Our lives are an expression of love and joy. This is an innate truth of our divine nature

Tell yourself – I am a celebration in this world. There is no other me.

Whether in the quiet of our own thoughts or surrounded by others, our energy flows into a creative collective. Each of us is a unique and beautiful reflection of the Divine.

Give yourself the first gift: affirm that you are a divine and joyful celebration.

Rev. John Paul Roach

“Joy is not dependent on the accumulation of things or being successful in the world’s terms, or having the perfect life”…they can bring some happiness, often temporary & unsatisfactory. Joy arises when we let go, we release our need to work it all out, and simply be with what is.

Joy is our natural state of being…it’s connected to our Christ nature

Joy can come in unexpected places and small packages. Remember, children remind us of the joy of playing, giving, learning, and loving….our inner child can awaken our Christ nature & the Messiah is truly born

Christmas is not an event that happens only in Dec or 2,000 years ago. Christmas happens as we open to the possibility of hope, when we live in the understanding of peace, and when we give love, & experience love. The joy that is Christmas happens all the time, every minute of every day. We just need to be open to it.

If we are doing our best to be joy and bring joy to others, we are being our best selves when we are impeccable with our words. We understand the power that is inherent in words & thoughts spoken silently or out loud.

If we are doing our best, we are not taking anything personally. That means joy for us because we are being true to our authentic self. We know that what others say regarding ourselves is not of our concern. It belongs to the person speaking – we do not have to let their words injure us.

We can’t be in joy if we are making assumptions. And that is certainly not doing our best. If you are making an assumption, most often it has to do with your egos desire to think it knows everything. It does not. What is happening with others is different from what is happening to you…or at least how each of us see it.

Then-

What is ours to do?

To seek joy:

          Listen to what is around you…church bells ringing, positive words spoken, toddlers’ lispy lyrics all carry joy

          Watch for acts of loving-kindness. Give thanks, keep a joy journal.

          Appreciate beauty. Behold star patterns across the sky. Feel the vast well-being of the universe

To spread joy:

          Lighten a load, listen with love, make a difference.

          Anticipate opportunities to beam a smile, whisper a blessing, encourage another.

          Grant yourself quiet times of prayer and meditation, contemplation.

Remember, Hope, Peace, Love and Joy can be ours. Always do your best, in thought, word and deed.

Have gratitude as it expresses as peace, love, and joy.

Say: I am gratefully and wonderfully blessed.