Christianity: Rejoice, the Lord is near

To rejoice in the midst of a season that carries longing, repentance, and waiting, the Church pauses and says: Rejoice. Not because everything is already perfect, but because the Lord is near.

Advent is not denial of darkness. It is honesty about it. The world still knows fear, injustice, weariness, and uncertainty. Many of us carry private burdens, unanswered prayers, and silent struggles. Yet into this reality, Scripture dares to speak joy. Not shallow happiness, but deep, resilient joy rooted in God’s faithfulness.

Joy, in Advent, does not come from circumstances changing overnight. It comes from God drawing near. The nearness of God changes how we wait. We are not waiting alone. We are not abandoned in the dark. The coming of Christ assures us that God has entered human history, human pain, and human weakness.

John the Baptist, whose voice echoes strongly in Advent, does not point to himself. He points away from himself and says, “Among you stands one whom you do not know.” Joy begins when our focus shifts—from ourselves to Christ, from anxiety to expectation, from control to trust.

We are reminded that Christian joy is not the absence of suffering, but the presence of hope. It is joy that can coexist with tears, because it knows the story is not finished. The child in the manger is the promise that God keeps His word. The light has already entered the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it.

As we light the rose candle today, we proclaim that joy is already breaking in. Even now. Even here. Let this joy soften our hearts, strengthen our faith, and renew our courage to wait well.

Rejoice, not because we have arrived, but because God is coming.

Rejoice, not because the world is fixed, but because Christ is faithful.

Rejoice, for the Lord is near.