Do Not Mourn Today

The people weep as they hear the words of the Law. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites tell them that the day is holy and that they should not mourn. They are not saying sin does not matter. They are teaching the people how to receive a holy day when grief has already begun.

Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Joy is not private comfort here. It includes eating, drinking, and sending food to people who have none prepared. The people begin to rejoice because they understand the words that have been made known to them.

Understanding does not always make the room heavier. Sometimes it gives people a way to receive God's holiness with hope.

The leaders do not answer the people's tears by saying that the Law was not serious. They tell them that this particular day is holy and give them a way to receive it: eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared. Joy is therefore tied to generosity. The people are not asked to manufacture a cheerful mood; they begin to rejoice because they have understood the words. Holiness does not make the needy disappear from the feast. It makes the people who have food remember those who do not.

The leaders protect the holy day from becoming either denial or despair. They do not tell the people that their tears are foolish; they tell them what this day calls for and include those who have no food prepared. The joy of the LORD is therefore not a private feeling reserved for people whose lives are already easy. It becomes a shared meal, an act of generosity, and a way for people who understand the Law to begin living under its good news.