Reflection - Joy

By Steve Hall

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110621.cfm
Romans 16:3-9, 16, 22-27
Luke 16:9-15

“Wealthy Americans reveal six money making secrets everyone should know.”

I forget which book and chapter this particular verse comes from; but I do know it is not Biblical. At the same time I would acknowledge that the verse was Spirit inspired in that it came to my attention while mentally searching for a way to begin this reflection. The idea of “money making secrets everyone should know” addresses at least one cultural solution that seeks to answer the question: what would be life-fulfilling for me. Some might find that answer In financial success, others by the attainment of a position of power. There are also those who would seek such fulfillment through the adrenaline rush of extreme activities and still others through the consistent dependability of a quiet family life. The methods by which we seek to satisfy that inner emptiness are numerous. Most such pursuits are modest in their ability to satisfy even when multiple methods are pursued simultaneously. Nevertheless, we are regularly reminded that we only go around once in life and should therefore grab all the gusto we can.

The subject of this reflection came to my attention from three different directions. The first was having the sad demeanor of a particular person brought to my attention. It was as if the woman harbored within the very essence of emptiness, disappointment and discontent. Her apparent vacuity seemed related to, but even deeper than, the deportment of one who can never be satisfied. Her situation brought to mind the question of how widespread this condition was.

The second element on the scene was the vivacious camaraderie of the community Paul mentions in his letter to the Romans. We’ll come back to that later. The third was the upcoming festivities we celebrate as we draw near to year’s end. Specifically, it was the word ‘JOY’ which confronts anyone walking through the newly stocked shelves of the Christmas section at WalMart. Let’s start there.

Joy to the world . . . .
Tidings of comfort and Joy. . . .
O come all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant . .. .

There is an element of excitement, exuberance and celebration connected with joy. Delight and pleasure should probably be thrown in to the definition as well. All of these are implied when describing a birthday or anniversary gathering as joyful. But there is an alternate sense in which we understand joy. It is not the joy of an expressively happy crowd. It is something different.

When Paul says to the Philippians that they should: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4) he could well have been referring to the joy of excitement and exuberance. However, I believe he was referring to the alternate sense of joy as well. It is the joy intimately bound up with peace. It is the joy that comes from knowing God has things in hand. It is the joy that displaces anxiety and fear. At Christmas we rightly celebrate the fact that God has become one of us, one with us. At Easter we, like the women at the tomb and the Apostles at Jesus’ first resurrected appearance, can legitimately claim the right to be excited; after all, permanent death is no longer inevitable. These are Joyful occasions. But even as the Church seeks to extend our joy through the ‘octave’ celebrations of these feasts, we still have another fifty weeks to live. During these weeks too, Paul calls on us to rejoice.

It is the inner conviction that our God has come to us, that he has saved us and that we shall have eternal life that makes some sense of the ‘now’. That same conviction alleviates the emptiness of our lives. It consigns disappointment to the dustbin. That conviction makes our inner joy possible;and that joy is enmeshed with the peace of Christ Jesus.

When Jesus said to his Apostles: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27) Such peace will inevitably be accompanied by joy — joy from knowing that the world is governed by God, not by chance — joy in the conviction that we are so loved by God that he would share this life with us — joy in knowing with certitude that “if we have died with him, we shall rise with him. This joy, this peace the world cannot give. Yet it is the only possibility for filling our emptiness.

Before Christ came both Gentiles and Jews hoped that this life was not the end. Only the conquest of death could give assurance that that was so. Only the possibility of eternal life can deter us from reaching for what we can while we can. Only the ‘more’ guaranteed by the resurrection can put the possibilities offered in this life in their proper place. Only eternal life can give the joy and peace that the world cannot give.

The emptiness that is so prevalent in our time is the very place where joy and peace belong. When it is absent, despair is offered. When it is present, it is sought. When it is found, there is light. If Christians are a light to the nations, that light will only be shone through the joy and peace which is theirs.

All this brings us to Paul’s community mentioned in Romans. These were not just people of conviction, but people who built up and shared and reinforced that conviction within their community. By their mutual support and spiritual sharing they prevailed against the emptiness their times. Theirs was a light that overcame the darkness; for the Spirit of peace, the Spirit of joy clearly showed something to others which the world cannot give.

“Behold, how good and pleasant it iswhen brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)