Potentially Problematic: Joy (Ephesians 5:15-20)
Ordinary Time 15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . (NRSV) A friend of mine introduced me to the song “Joy” in college, playing it on a CD in her well-worn Honda Fit while the sun slid down behind the railroad tracks. I didn’t get it—didn’t like it, at first. The lyrics are jarringly at odds with the chord progression and the whole thing felt right at the edge...