Prayer Prompt before reading JN 15:9-11: Come, Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray, interpret the Scriptures for me so that I may know the Truth about who God the Father is and God the Son so that I may know who I am.
“I HAVE TOLD YOU THIS SO THAT MY JOY MIGHT BE IN YOU AND YOUR JOY MIGHT BE COMPLETE.” JN 15:9-11
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
St. Thomas Aquinas says, “Joy comes from hope and proceeds from love”. He further adds, “Joy is full, when there is nothing more to desire”. He continues in the Summa Theologica, “Hence desire will be at rest, not only our desire for God, but all our desires: so that the joy of the blessed is full to perfection–indeed over-full, since they will obtain more than they were capable of desiring: for “neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).”
Joy is an interesting thing. There is no opposite to joy. Everything I can think of in this world has an opposite, but not joy. Unless we think of spiritual garbage or hell as it’s opposite-Peter Kreeft
The only way joy can be taken away from you is if you stop believing or give up hope and do not love. I can be running on the coldest day in the middle of winter with no leaves and dead grass around me, but still have joy (I still believe Jesus Christ resurrected and saved me). I can be sick on the couch for a week, but still have joy. I can be fasting and still have joy. I can be going through an episode of depression and still have joy.
Joy leaps forth from love and hope, a firm belief that we are saved and God is who He reveals Himself to be. It can be snatched by the Devil only if you let Him by giving up hope and not loving. Love is a decision. Our joy will be complete when we no longer desire God, we will be with Him forever in heaven and our joy will be over-filled because we had no idea how awesome the goodness of God is.
Today’s challenge: Follow the commandments, pray, believe, hope, love, and never let anyone or anything steal your joy!
Suffering brings joy! St. Francis and his brothers would look for suffering in the most radical ways and deny themselves every comfort in radical ways. They were full of joy!
Perfect Joy according to St. Francis of Assisi
http://www.missa.org/joie_parfaite_e.php
Be a servant, be a saint today!
#Christian YODO (You Only Die Once; we will live again!)
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