Advent Week 3

brief thoughts on joy, and a song

Light the pink, or rose, candle on your Advent wreath.

Today is The Sunday of Joy, and as the rose candle hints, it is the day to celebrate Mary, Mother of God.

In 1480 Hans Memling painted The Seven Joys of Mary. A medieval song of the same name was popularly sung as a devotion to Mary, not primarily for Advent, but it has become in modern times associated with Christmas.

We'll look at those seven joys and peer behind the literal into the symbolic correspondences they hold.

Below you will find the complete lyrics and a link to listen to my favorite version, sung by Loreena McKennitt.

The first joy is birth — the soul incarnate. Think of this in the context of Joseph Campbell's Heroes/Heroine's journey. You may also think of the Fool's journey through the Tarot's major arcana.

The second joy— to make the lame to go, is about movement, highlighting how divine love helps us to choose forward progress when we answer the call of the journey.

The third joy— to make the blind to see, speaks of our call to see beyond illusion to Truth.

The fourth joy — he read the bible o'er, points us to the importance of gaining wisdom.

The fifth joy — to make the dead alive, speaks to how we are awakened spiritually as we journey.

The sixth joy — to bear the crucifix is a poignant reminder of our need to surrender.

The final and seventh joy — to wear the crown of heaven- illustrates how we evolve spiritually and level up when we engage in all of the above.

Notice how this carol is about The Joys of Mary, the symbol of the divine feminine. She finds joy when her children embrace their true nature and make progress on their spiritual journey. In the song, her focus is on her Son, who represents us all. As extraordinary as he is, Christ represents the Everyman/Everywoman. We follow his example.

This beautiful medieval carol holds universal wisdom tucked inside the gospel stories, like veins of gold just below the surface clay.

Take a moment on this third Sunday of Advent and ponder the joy of the spiritual life.

Enjoy this song and use the lyrics provided for further contemplation.