ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
November 30, 2025
Today, we begin our Advent Series: Do not let the “joy” crush you! Some of you might be thinking that if you’re going to be crushed by something, joy might be the very thing you’d choose. I can understand that perspective, but I’m concerned that our definition of joy might not be as cute and fluffy as some might believe. It’s not the weight of our misconstrued understanding of joy that truly disappoints us, but the sheer emptiness when everything is said and done.
As a kid, did you ever save up money to buy some really nifty item, only to find out that your hard-earned money was spent on something that didn’t live up to your expectations? Some of you may not be old enough, but in the back of comic books in the 1960s and 70s, there was an advertisement for Sea Monkeys (see below). The cartoon depicted a family of Sea Monkeys, and the caption even suggested that they could be trained. The price wasn’t too much, but of course, there was the shipping. After ordering, I went to the mailbox every single day, waiting with great anticipation for my Sea Monkeys to arrive. I just knew in my heart of hearts that this special offer, with so many awesome reviews according to the advertisement, was going to bring me hours of enjoyment, especially when I trained my Sea Monkeys to put on a show. When they finally arrived, I was beyond disappointed. These so-called Sea Monkeys were, in fact, nothing more than a species of tiny brine shrimp, and there was absolutely nothing entertaining about them. Upon arrival, they were mostly dead. I was crushed! Not by any true sense of joy, but crushed by the complete trust I had placed in the advertisement. My expectation was taken to new heights, only to fall fast and hard.
Now that is a silly example, yet as I will suggest over the next four weeks, we do have a tendency to build a sense of expectant joy around many things at this time of year, only to realize when it is all said and done that what we had built the sense of expectancy upon is not capable of bringing any real sense of joy. I’m not suggesting that four sermons will change everything, but I do believe we can be more mindful of the false presumptions we make at this time of year. And maybe if we’ve thought about it, we won’t be drawn into the trap and we won’t be crushed in the end.
Continue to guide us, Spirit of Grace and Goodness, toward the source of true joy; toward a child whose birth changed the trajectory of the world. We not only wish to see this gift anew this year, but to be caught up in this new and sacred movement unveiled at his birth. Amen.
