Human Response 618: Light and Gladness

Esther 8:16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honor.

After the unrelenting work of Mordecai and Esther, they were able to persuade King Ahasuerus to make a new decree. Instead of a day on which the Jews were to be killed, the tables were turned and the Jews were allowed to defend themselves and ended up destroying and slaying the Persians who attacked them over the period of two days. This became the Feast of Purim, celebrated by the Jews to this day.

Instead of a day of genocide and slaughter of Jews, it became a day of Salvation and Deliverance. The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor. The day of slaughter and horror became a day of celebration and joy.

in the same way Christian Feasts and all Sundays become days of light, gladness, joy, and honor when we hear the Gospel. The Gospel turns Friday into Sunday, death into life, suffering into ecstasy, sorrow into joy, evil into good, sin into forgiveness, certain doom into decisive deliverance. Light and gladness is the expected and appropriate response to the Gospel. And we can celebrate this way every day of our life, when we take a moment to remember our Baptism and praise God for life and salvation. Every day for a believer is a day of joy and honor. The Gospel gives us reason to celebrate all the time. This the life of a Christian.