December 11, 2024
Dear Friends,
“Joy is the ineffable presence of God within us”
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
I am sure that you have heard this said a few times in your life. This is the theme of the third week of Advent. Our Joyful Candle! But what does it mean to be joyful and reflect God’s presence?
Is being Joyful the same as being Happy? I started thinking about it and praying for some understanding of each of them. Where does joy come from? The more I thought about it the more I thought of the source of joy as being internal, spiritual, something coming from faith. Happiness on the other hand tends to come from external sources, whether it be circumstances or events, it can be fleeting.
Joy has a deeper sense of resilience, which means that we can be joyful even during challenging times. Joy stems from being a grateful person. Happiness on the other hand can fluctuate and is less likely to survive in adversity.
Lastly, joy focuses more on others; reaching out with acts of love towards others, acts of generosity, having a deeper sense of a spiritual connection. Happiness can be more focused on oneself. What are my pleasures, am I ‘happily’ experiencing them? These are questions I might ask.
So, with all this thinking, I concluded that joy is more solid and lasting, sacred, and profound, whereas happiness can be fleeting. This is what I was thinking about while preparing for the coming of our Messiah. Therefore, it is with a JOYFUL heart that I wait for the Messiah’s arrival.
As you are preparing, are you filled with joy or happiness? Did you ever think about the difference of each of the words? Does the time spent in prayer this Advent season lead you to being more Joyful? For me I want to continue to become more joy filled! I pray that the third week of Advent offers you the opportunity to do so. Be blessed with joy!
Till next week,
Sister Theresita
