The Promise of Joy

I have told you these things that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete (Jn. 15:11)

St. Dominic Savio, the young boy, said to his friends:  Joy is the unmistakable sign of the presence of God in us.  I used to keep a picture of an old peasant Russian woman whose face was radiant with joy.  The caption on the picture was this:  If you want to steal my joy, come and get it in the hands of God.

Joy is known as one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, because we cannot manufacture it for ourselves; it is the result of the Spirit of God dwelling in us.  Joy is not the circumstance of life flowing smoothly for us; it is the result of Christ's promise:  In this world, you will have trouble, but be of good heart---I have overcome the world.  The Holy Spirit gives us joy in whatever circumstances we have.

The Acts of the Apostles is full of two reports--the multiple problems faced by the early church and the overflowing joy of the early church.  Peter and John were arrested after Peter's second sermon; a group of apostles were jailed and flogged; Stephen was stoned to death; Christians were hunted down and driven from their homes; James was beheaded; Peter was imprisoned by Herod.....

Yet, we find statements such as these:  They partook of their food with gladness; they were constantly praising God; and the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

No wonder Jesus had warned them before His ascension into heaven not to leave Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high!  Man's determination can never produce the joy that overcomes persecution.

Jesus said that the reason He came was to destroy the work of Satan, the thief who comes to maim and destroy.  While on earth, he continually released men and women from the bondage of Satan.  The Lord of Life obviously did not delight in pain, sickness, insanity----he went about healing "all those who were in the grip of the devil."  Imagine the joy He left in His wake!

Katherine Marshall's Prayer:  Lord, you and I know that I am facing some difficult circumstances in my life, especially my concern about __________.  As I ask for your perspective and Your thought on this problem, I begin to see that worry and fretting and thinking about all the negatives is not being the realistic pragmatist I had thought.  In fact, You are telling me that when I wallow in "what-ifs" and discouragement and self-pity, I am ignoring You altogether.

As I turn to you, Lord, at this moment and spread this grief-problem out before You, I hear You say, "There's nothing here I can't handle.  Why are you so troubled?"  Your joy shines through these words, Lord.  Let your joy be mine, too.  I open my heart to it.  Amen.