The Weary World Rejoices

Tucked within the Christmas carol “O Holy Night” is the ironic phrase “the weary world rejoices.” How can one rejoice while weary? Perhaps the poet who wrote these words meant that the world used to be weary but then ceased to be so once it started rejoicing.

But what if weariness and rejoicing aren’t mutually exclusive? The gospel story is filled with times when these opposites coexist, starting with Jesus’ birth. The displaced couple, exhausted from their travels, find themselves birthing a child in a strange borrowed stable surrounded by animals. But, in this moment of weariness comes the most joyous moment of world history. Also, rejoicing doesn’t necessarily make us less weary either. Hebrews describes Jesus’ final agonizing moments within the perspective of joy, “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.”

Advent is the promise of a return—a restoration of all things to their true being, a goodness which was conceived from the beginning of time, a realized hope we’ve been longing for. For the “days are coming,” say the prophets of old. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will fulfill the good promise.” The promise of truth, compassion, restoration, and justice. 

We will explore these four promises during worship. No matter what state we find ourselves in as we enter the Advent season, may we be able to sing with the angels “the weary world rejoices!”

You are also invited to join one the two adult classes that will be using The Weary World Rejoices, a group Advent study guide written by Kate Bowler. Click here to access the study guide. Both classes meet on Sundays at 9:30 AM.