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May 3, 2024J.O.Y.
A priest told me many years ago that the secret to joy is in the acronym J.O.Y.:
Put Jesus first, others second and yourself last!
Jesus tells us today in John 15: "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you, and your joy might be complete.” The Lord desires our joy! He did not come to earth, suffer, die and rise so that we would mope through life with little hope of true fulfillment. He desires and expects us to live our lives here on earth with joy because of our faith and hope in Him and the Good News He is…the Good News He brings.
To understand this, it is important to note the difference between joy and happiness. Etymologically, happiness depends on happenstance. If things are going well; if I am healthy, my business is successful, my family is great, and money in the bank…then I am happy. If not, I am unhappy. Joy, on the other hand, depends on keeping our eyes on Jesus. And when we lose our health (which we all will), and business is not great, family issues…the sorrows of life, we remain joyful because of the Good News. You have heard me say, and you will hear me say again and again: The Good News of the Resurrection infinitely supersedes all the bad news the world can ever bring!
It is a sign of great Faith and Holiness, when a parishioner who is very sick, living in pain, suffering so many obstacles in life still remains joyful. It is not a joy that is natural. It is supernatural. Christianity is about being a partaker in the Divine Nature.
Rate yourself 1 to 10: How joyful are you in the Good News of Jesus? Pray this week to increase that number by at least two digits!
"I have told you this so that my joy may be in you, and your joy might be complete.”
Fr. Brett Brannen
Pastor
