Joy

All of today’s readings in different ways speak to the nature of joy. Today’s first reading (Zec. 9:9-10) is unabashedly jubilant:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:
behold, thy King cometh unto thee...

(This, of course, is the text for one of the bounciest arias from Handel’s Messiah: “Rejoice greatly”)

In the Gospel (Mt. 11:25-30), our Lord himself practically sings in grateful praise to the Father:

I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

In our lives, we may experience joy, but it tends to last only for a while at best.

The joy that God offers us, however, lasts forever. Not only that, God’s joy can fill us more deeply than we can imagine.

As exemplified in the first reading, God’s joy is a joy of salvation.

As exemplified in the Gospel, God’s joy is a joy of enlightenment.

What keeps us from that joy? St. Paul gives us a clue or two in today’s second reading (Rom. 8:9, 11-13):

If the Spirit
of the one who raised Jesus from the dead
dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you.

There is a natural association between life and joy. Those who are full of life tend also to be filled with joy. Conversely, those who are joyless are in some ways emotionally dead.

God gives us joy by giving life to our mortal bodies: a new life, a spiritual life, an endless life.

God gives us joy through his Spirit dwelling within us. (Indeed, joy is well known as one of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit.)

One of the reasons that joy may be lacking in our lives is that we do not seek our joy from God, but rather from earthly things.

In comparison to God who is infinite and eternal, the things of this world – the things of the flesh – are shallow and transitory. There may be a flash of pleasure or a spark of joy, but these things quickly pass and we are then left empty.

Consequently, brothers and sisters,
we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh,
you will die,
but if by the Spirit
you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.

From where do we seek our joy?

If we seek our joy from the things of this world, we will ultimately be left with disappointment – a disappointment that may be bitter and unrelenting.

If, however, we seek our joy from the Holy Spirit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then our joy, - our life, our peace, our happiness, our ecstasy – will fill us completely and forever.

I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.