Jeace & Poy
A short advent mash up
I had a great hope to write advent posts this year. But then… life. Last Sunday I spent the day traveling to Chicago for my 7th retreat for TC20, the spiritual transformation community I am so grateful to be a part of. I thought I’d maybe write something on the plane, but instead I finished reading my book. It felt right.
This morning, I was thinking about this idea of a mash up between peace (week 2 of advent) and joy (week three of advent). I had one idea, but then a song came to mind - it’s a song that comes straight from scripture. It’s from this moment, I write to you tonight. May it bless you as you head into this next week.
You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace. The mountains and the hills will break forth before you. There’ll be shouts of joy and all the trees of the field will clap will clap their hands. (By the way I sang this to type it out for you)
I loved this song growing up. It was probably my favorite.
The scripture from Isaiah - once I realized the song was found in the Bible - became a favorite. It was read in our wedding and it’s tattooed on Sam’s arm (in French.) I love the imagery - trees of the field clapping in joy.
Right now, the world doesn’t feel like it’s being led forth in peace. It doesn’t feel like there are shouts of joy emanating from our leafy brethren with stories of war and shootings and bus crashes.
But even so, today as this song came to mind my heart was filled with a sense of peace. And I found myself reminising on an image from St. Mary’s of the Lake, the University where I get to spend a Sun-Tues every quarter while on retreat.
Around the lake is a 2.5 mile walking path. It’s north of Chicago and the trees are amazing. Every retreat, I’ve walked that path. I have experienced some of my most profound moments with God on retreat on that path. One of them happened at the second retreat.
As I walked under the leafy canopy in August of 2024, I noticed that the trees were forming a victory tunnel for me. And I felt God’s joy for me. God’s delight in my presence. God’s deep love. And in that space, under a canopy of leafy love I was led forth in peace. The shouts of joy rustled with the wind. And the trees, extending their long arms across the path, high above my head linked fingers and clapped mightely.
What an image. I hope it’s one that brings you comfort today in the midst of waiting. In the midst of a world and life stories in need of victory that only God can bring.
These trees - divine victory tunnels - a little note from the heavens that God sees us hoping, longing for peace and searching for joy. The wait continues. And the trees of the field… they clap their hands.
Isaiah 55:12
New Living Translation
12 You will live in joy and peace.
The mountains and hills will burst into song,
and the trees of the field will clap their hands!