John the Baptist’s words are tough to hear. Something is seriously out of sync. But the message of Advent is that there is hope. Our joy resides in the promise of redemption from our broken world, and John’s words call us to be present to and with each other now. Joy is here, not in the denial of the brokenness, but that brokenness is not the last world. Pastor Mary’s message is based on Isaiah 12: 2-6 and Luke 3: 7-18.