Joy is the aspect of the fruit of the Spirit which moves us to live life enthusiastically! This doesn’t mean that we’re always bubbly and extroverted. It means that wherever we’re at, whatever we’re doing, we enhance life and love. Joy means others feel Christ’s loving presence no matter what they’re going through. This joy is not a fleeting moment, rather it is an enduring state of being based on the confident hope that we will be with God in paradise forever! For that faith knowledge we rejoice in the Lord always, again we say, Rejoice!
by Fr. David C. Schwartz S.J.
Joy…what is it, to you, to me?
“Joy is one of those things which identify the Christian life, the Catholic life, isn’t it? So how come everyone I meet and talk to lately is burdened and carrying loss, grief, sadness, anxiety, worry and illness. Is this what a life of joy is supposed to look like Lord?” ~ taken from my prayer journal recently. Fortunately, I didn’t stay with that thought, because joy is one of those emotions which can co-exist alongside trials and troubles, problems and persecutions. It is a sense of inner delight and a constant knowing that God is for us not against us which we are able to rejoice in and celebrate, whatever our circumstances. Or rather, that’s the way it’s supposed to be!
Joy is quite different from happiness. To come back to the analogy I used in the entry about Love below, happiness is rather like a butterfly…it comes unbidden, stays a short while, and then just as quickly it flutters away. Joy is deeper, stronger, longer lasting. It is rooted in God, sustained in Him, grows in Him, and is not dependant on good things happening to us.
The word JOY has its roots in the Latin “gaudēre”, “to rejoice”, and St. Paul tells us to “rejoice always”. But how? One of the more popular acronyms of the word JOY, is Jesus first, others second and ourselves last. It is a matter of getting our priorities right. We need to make God the first and foremost priority of our lives and devote time to our relationship with Him. Then we will have the means to reach out to others in acts of love and service. I used to really struggle with the concept of myself as last! I often used to change this acronym to mean “Jesus, and others as myself”. Time has taught me not to mess about with it. The Christian life is one in which I need to learn, every day, how to die to self, to sacrifice my own wants and desires, to serve others and “…in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” ~ Philippians 2v3 (nkjv)
Our joy should rub off on others, too ~ Catholicism is full of joy, and light and life, and is not a gloomy doom-laden religion. It is that sparkling sense of joy in us, that undercurrent of grace which attracts others to out way of life and our faith. As the quote above says, it isn’t about being “bubbly and extroverted”, and indeed that would be really tiresome. I myself have been put off in the past be over-enthusiastic, happy, clappy Christianity! Joy is a quietly flowing stream, a sense of warmth, a simple smile, a breath of fresh air…a gentle whisper…
So this then is joy ~ to be less self-absorbed, less self-focused, less self-seeking. To put God in His rightful place at the centre of my personal universe. To see Christ in others and to serve Christ in others. Dear Lord, help me to be full of JOY in Your name!
“Joy is prayer – Joy is strength – Joy is love – Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls…”
Blessed Mother Teresa
very true! Becoming less selfish and self absorbed does actaully increase joy – and happiness!
Yes! Joy is hope.