As we approach on September 9, 10, and 11 our parish’s grand calling to renewal and spiritual revival, we seek to celebrate and to renew the power of our faith to heal and to give life. “To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God and one another.”
We are called to remember the power and possibility of a truly alive faith in God. That realization gives us strength, hope, commitment, and the joy of doing the work of building the Kingdom of God. Here are some reflections on joy to feed your soul in preparation for our renewal, our revival.
To grasp human flourishing and thriving, we must understand joy. We suggest that joy is best conceptualized as a virtue, a psychological habit, comprised of characteristic adaptations and given meaning by transcendent narrative identity. Thus, joy involves knowing, feeling, and enacting what matters most.
Joy is that special element that gives texture and flavor to our daily life. Without it, we are left with closed hearts and minds. We need to learn how to find, grow, and share it.
Fr. Gerry
More Reflections on Joy
Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. – Joseph Campbell
Life is a series of painful or joyful moments, which follow each other in an endless cycle. Whenever pain comes near us, our only salvation is to seek places of beauty, joy, and peace. Wherever there is joy, our souls can heal. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. – Buddha
Joy has something very pure and innocent about it. It is a feeling that reminds us of the innocence of childhood and all its endless pleasures. A pure mind, open to the charm of the world, can find joy everywhere. Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. – Mother Teresa
Souls who are capable of love are also capable of immense happiness and joy. Joy is the path that leads to both love and happiness. Once we devote ourselves to cultivating joy, we discover that we are surrounded by love. Joy is the serious business of Heaven. – C. S. Lewis
Life has the potential to be amazing once we concentrate on deciphering all its wonderful subtleties, nuances, and details. If we pay attention, we can find joy and ecstasy in the most simple things or in the most usual experiences. There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward. – Khalil Gibran
There are people who are always grumpy, even when good things happen to them, while there are people who emanate joy and kindness, no matter the hardships they face. The secret is that people who spread joy receive even more joy instead. Joy should be the hallmark of a Christian’s life, a reflection of knowing that one is loved by God, saved by Jesus Christ and committed to leading others to him – Pope Francis