I was praying with a friend recently, and a line from a song bubbled up: “Joy, joy, joy, down in my heart.” I shared that with her, and she was delighted. She exhibits joy in the Lord, and as I was praying with her, I began to think about joy and the many ways it manifests in our lives.
Joy is countercultural in that Christian joy is a joy in the Lord, a joy in the promise of eternal life for those who know, love and serve the Lord.
Are we able to maintain our joy in all circumstances, as Christian joy isn’t tied to things going well or going wrong but to the knowledge that we are loved by God. That is a true sign of Christian joy, and that is also a great challenge for each of us in our daily lives.
My mom is in memory care, and we have lots of ups and downs with her health and the different stages of dementia that she is experiencing. When I share stories with people, sometimes they say they can’t understand how I can do it.
God has given me joy and peace with her condition. I love her, and she loves me. I’m grateful for this time with her. She has the joy of a small child, and that is really beautiful as seen through the eyes of Christ.
I’m grateful to God for giving me eyes to see her this way and for the ability to appreciate the joy of simply being together, mother and daughter, no matter the circumstances.
The other day, a woman named Margaret who was sitting with my mom and me broke out in song, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Praise Him all creatures here below! Praise Him above the heavenly hosts! Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!”
It was spontaneous, and it moved our hearts. It brought joy to all of us. We laughed, and Margaret tried to remember words for another “church” song, and she couldn’t. So, I chimed in, and I do not have a good singing voice, which made everyone laugh some more.
Turns out, Margaret used to sing in the choir, and she exclaimed, “This is fun!” In memory care, we celebrate everything that brings the residents joy and peace.
St. Teresa of Avila said, “Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God.” No one wants to be around gloomy people. Joy is contagious!
I have a friend who is so joyful she is practically bursting out of her body telling stories and loving those around her. I enjoy every minute being with her. We laugh, and we cry, but when a friendship is Christ-centered, we know that we are loved and that we are beloved daughters of the one true God. We are determined that nothing will steal our joy.
Jesus said, in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” The saints give us such a powerful witness to this complete joy.
Pope St. John Paul II said, “We who are Christians have a further cause for joy: like Jesus, we know that we are loved by God our Father. This love transforms our lives and fills us with joy. It makes us see that Jesus did not come to lay burdens upon us. He came to teach us what it means to be fully happy and fully human.
“Therefore, we discover joy when we discover truth – the truth about God our Father, the truth about Jesus our Savior, the truth about the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts.”
So how can we invite others into our joy? Speak with love. Look at people with love. Invite people into relationship with us, and from that relationship, introduce people to the love of Jesus. Be honest. Be authentic. Be vulnerable. Accept and love people where they are.
The joy that we have as Christians is meant to be shared, meant to change us and meant to impact those around us.
St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “Joy is prayer. Joy is strength. Joy is love. Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. ... A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love. Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of the Christ risen.”
