Joy

My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior,

Because He who is mighty has done great things for me

Mary's song is the song of one overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, the One who opens our eyes to see the wonders of God acting in us and for us; the One who makes our spirits sing.  Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot even "see" the kingdom of God to rejoice in it. 

Saul fell to the ground under the annointing of the Holy Spirit, who made Jesus real and present to him.  From that time on, Paul rejoiced in the Lord.  Philip baptized the eunuch, who "went on his way rejoicing."

If we are not rejoicing in the Lord, we have not yet been annointed by the Holy Spirit.  If we cannot see the mighty things the Lord has done for us, we have not yet received the fullness of His Spirit in us.

St. Dominic Savio said this:  Joy is the unmistakeable sign of God's presence in us.  Jesus said at the Last Supper:  I tell you these things that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Can we even begin to imagine the joy of God, who "laughs in the face of His enemies"?  If we are not full of joy, let us not even hesitate to ask for this gift.  It is a gift God wants to give us, a gift Jesus died that we might have.