Saint Athanasius Lutheran Church

Today is joy Sunday. The third Sunday of Advent. We lit the oddly-colored candle on the Advent wreath today, the rose-colored candle, the joy candle. For with this Sunday we have turned a corner. Advent is now more than halfway over and our remembrance of Christmas is close. And so the call rings out today for joy. But the readings we heard today weren't all joy... or so it seems. But to think there is no joy in the Gospel today is to misread it. Wherever Jesus went, He brought joy. He is fulfilling all the prophecies spoken of the Messiah. And that doesn't change just because John is in prison.