Jesus was born during the time of the Roman occupation in Israel. So, it wasn’t a time of celebration, gladness, and joy. It was a time of oppression, sadness, cruelty, and grave violence. When the angels showed up to the shepherds and proclaimed, “We bring you good news of great joy…” there was a stark contrast between the message they delivered and the reality people were living in. Perhaps the angels understood that joy was not dependent upon the dark political, social, and moral landscape at the time. God was more committed to their wholeness than their happiness.