Part Two: Suffering and Joy

We began the first part of our reflection on joy by noting that we are created for joy and that we cannot live without it. This does not mean that we can come to a state in this life where joy is not mixed with real sorrows and where joy is completely stable. That will be fully accomplished in eternity. So, what does Jesus mean when He promises the apostles at the Last Supper that He wants them to have a joy that no one can take from them? We can try to tackle this by examining two very different stories from the recent historical fires in California.

On January 5 of this year, the Golden Globes Award ceremony was held amidst a gathering of joyful contenders and attendees. At a certain point, the host, Nikki Glaser, summarized the awards by highlighting a certain detail in the winner’s acceptance speeches. She pointed to the list of those who were thanked and noted teams and assistants were thanked 11 times. Three winners mentioned mothers. Then, she said: “And God, the Creator of the Universe, wasn’t thanked a single time.” Everyone laughed at this, to which she remarked, “Well, what did you expect? This is a godless city.” There was more laughter.

Two days later, the fires broke out in the LA area, and many of the stars experienced how fleeting joy can be when they lost their homes in what many described as an apocalyptic firestorm that left massive tracks of land and residences in complete ashes.

A little aside here. People have quickly jumped up to proclaim this was God’s punishment. A more refined understanding sees that sin carries its own punishment with it. God did not have to do anything directly. If one rejects God and his goodness, mercy, providence, protection, etc., there is nothing and no one to save you from the vicissitudes (often dramatic) of life. That’s what these stars experienced. Simply the consequences of their own choices. Fair enough.

Directly opposed to this is the story of another family who came through the same experience and lost their home of 35 years, along with everyone else. But their response was entirely different. They gathered around the rubble that had once been their home and sang songs of praise, most notably the Regina Caeli, which is a hymn to Our Blessed Mother calling her to rejoice in the Resurrection of her Son, Jesus Christ. The joy of the Lord was the strength of this family who resolved to rebuild and to help their neighbors do the same, following Mary’s example.

Mary gave thanks and rejoiced because, in her singular faith, she believed that Jesus would rise from the ashes of death and nothing would be able to separate her from Him again, He in whom she knew her joy would never be lost. This is what the family above understood, and this is what the apostles learned. That Jesus, their joy, could not be taken from them, even by death, that most formidable and implacable “enemy” we all face. Because of that, they could suffer with joy, knowing that the sorrows of this life will pass into unfading joy for those who believe and keep themselves “near the fire.”

As CS Lewis puts it: “If you want to get warm, you must stand near the fire; if you want to be wet, you must get into the water. If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them.” And, we could add, has them without end, unlike the passing joys of this world.

1. Have you ever experienced the kind of joy the article speaks of, joy in the midst of suffering?


2. What does it take to be able to experience joy in the midst of suffering? How does one come to that?


3. How do you think the world understands joy and how does the world’s understanding of joy divert us from true joy?


4. What can children teach us about true joy?

Finding Joy

 

Most of us could stand to have a little more joy in our lives.  In fact, Thomas Aquinas says that man cannot live without joy. And if he does not find authentic joy, he will inevitably be drawn to carnal delights (pleasures of the flesh) and the innumerable addictions that derive from them. Pope St. John Paul II speaks of joy this way:  “God made us for joy. God is joy, and the joy of living reflects the original joy that God felt in creating us.”  

 

Actually, the joyful mysteries of the Rosary give us some deep insights into the fundamental sources of this joy.  Simply put, joy comes from contact with God.  Increasing contact with Him leads to increasing joy.  Ironically enough, the deepest sufferings can also lead to the deepest joy because they are the point of deepest contact with Christ.  Let’s look at what the mysteries show us.  

 

The Annunciation shows us that the announcement of a child is a cause for joy.  The contact with God here is clear.  Every couple who has ever conceived knows that a child's conception is in God's hands.  When a child becomes present, one must go through God and touch God to understand the great mystery the parents are participating in.  This mystery manifests that moving in God’s will brings joy as shown in Our Lady’s immediate response:  “My Spirit rejoices in God my Savior…”

 

The Visitation also shows sources of joy.  Centuries before, David danced for joy before the Ark of the Covenant as it was carried through the streets.   In this mystery, John the Baptist dances and leaps for joy in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, in the presence of the New Ark of the Covenant, Mary, carrying the Christ Child.  Yet another point of joy is displayed in Our Lady's charity toward her aged cousin.  She goes out immediately to help.  “Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do to me.”  The joy this generates is something that becomes observable outside the religious sphere.  Oftentimes, people who are depressed are encouraged to go outside of themselves to help others in some way.  Why?  Because we feel good when we help others.  It’s somehow built into our psychic structure.  We are created to care for others.  It’s part of our being made in the image and likeness of God.  

 

The Birth of a Child at Christmas is undoubtedly a universal source of joy, and has been for the last 2000 years.  All births are meant to bring this kind of joy.  Upon seeing, touching, and holding their newborn, parents often feel overwhelmed by a kind of love they have never felt before.  That love is a source of deep joy because there is something divine about it.  The nearness of God in the little child whose angel directly sees the Face of God is sometimes palpable.  And to be entrusted with the life of that little one who, with his/her immortal soul, will live forever, takes you out of yourself, beyond yourself into mysteries of God that cannot necessarily be articulated but which are very real. God’s joy, which we can participate in, is particularly intense with the birth of a child, especially His own Son.  

 

The Presentation, the fourth joyful mystery of the rosary, lines up with Baptism/Consecration as another source or wellspring of joy.  How can we not be joyful when we know Baptism removes that little one from the Kingdom of darkness and brings him/her into the Kingdom of God, brings them into the family of God, and makes them a child who now belongs to God?  Again, life in God is the source of real joy.

 

The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple gives us a straightforward lesson:  finding Jesus anytime, anywhere, under any circumstances, causes great joy.  Certainly, this was the case for Mary and Joseph.  But we can see this in other ways as well.  Think particularly of converts or reverts.  They are often so excited, so full of joy at finding Jesus, that they perhaps can become a little over-zealous.  But nonetheless, the joy is real.  

 

Christ is the remedy for joylessness. If you want more joy, peace, and security in your life, draw near to Him. Pray more, spend time in Adoration, find ways to be with Him, and keep His presence. 

 

Watch for Part 2:  Suffering and Joy

 

 

1.    What would you say are some of the Joyful Mysteries of your own life?

 

2.    What do you think is the difference between joy and happiness?

 

3.    Remember that we are created for joy. Practically speaking, what can you do to dispose yourself for an increase of joy in your life?

 

4.    C. S. Lewis wrote a famous, autobiographical book called:  “Surprised By Joy.” Have you ever been surprised by joy?  What have you learned about joy?