Archdiocese Of St. Louis

In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet tells of the fall of Jerusalem and the seeming desertion of the Lord from His people. There is great sorrow, echoed in the profoundly anguished lamentations that follow: “…worn out from weeping are my eyes…let your tears flow like a torrent day and night…” The doom and despair is overpowering. But in the middle of his book, Jeremiah’s great oracle gives us a glimpse of hope, a promise of joy ahead: “…The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel…I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts….I will be their God and they shall be my people…” And here, in the middle of Advent, we light the pink candle on the wreath…a symbol of that rejoicing. We are so close to the fulfillment of God’s covenant, to the end of our tears. Joy is just within our reach. Not just happiness which may only linger as long as a smile…not merriness which barely outlives a party…but deep, abiding JOY! Remember what the angels san