This Advent I've thought deeply about the carol Joy to the World. I've preached on joy during a period of personal sadness.
'Heaven and angels sing', 'repeat the sounding joy', 'the wonders of his love'; three refrains that re-frame the world. Advent faith combines notes of gentle defiance and urgent hopefulness.
I've come to realise that sorrow and joy are not mutually exclusive, and can co-exist in the same heart. It depends on the reason for the sadness and the causes of joy. In this case, both are because of love, divine and human, that dwells deep in the heart.
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