In a recent episode of one of my favorite podcasts, Everything Happens with Kate Bowler; Kate, author and professor at Duke University’s School of Divinity, interviews Angela Williams, current President and CEO of United Way Worldwide. When asked about the values that guide her work, Angela mentioned joy. She maintains the idea that when we live a life that is defined by the service and love of others, it opens up our capacity for joy.
This made me think of the line in O Holy Night, A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices. I want to focus specifically on the latter part of this line, the weary world rejoices. I have to think that when faced with seemingly all of the world’s problems, Angela Williams can at times feel weary. Yet she continues to choose joy. Not only that, but this heavy work that she does, day in and day out, not only sustains her capacity for joy, it expands it.
If you’ve been around St. Luke’s for a while, you’ve likely heard about our commitment to coordinate and expand Meals on Wheels in Oklahoma City. You’ve probably seen the videos in worship that highlight some of our clients and tell the beautiful stories of how their lives have been changed by the program. The part we don’t always think about is that for every one of these “afters,” there is also a “before.” Listening to people’s heartbreaking stories is a big part of my job. So many of our clients are in unthinkably hard situations and have little or no family around to support them. There have been many times that I’ve hung up the phone with someone and felt truly weary. However, due to the generosity of the St. Luke’s family of faith, another component of my job is getting to share with people that we can provide them with help. The meals we bring and the visits we share with our clients bring such joy to them in times when they feel despair.
As I enter my fifth year of working with our Meals on Wheels program, I am reminded of the importance of choosing and sharing joy. I have realized that there will always be times we feel weary, but when we rejoice in the midst of that weariness, that is when we truly experience and share the light of Christ.
Morgan Jones, Associate Director of Meals on Wheels Oklahoma City
