St. Paul urges us to find the Lord our surest source of joy. Because of God we need not be anxious. Because of Him, prayer brings the blessed gift of peace. This is an inner peace or sustaining confidence that God gives us when we pray with thanksgiving. Giving thanks is an expression of assurance, and a reminder that God has heard and will answer our prayers. St. Paul wrote this while in prison, facing his death, after being stoned, beaten and hounded by a mob. Yet he writes not with bitterness, but with joy in the Lord!
As we go through our own trials and tribulations, how many of us are experiencing joy? In this season of Advent, the theme of week three is joy. That joy comes from knowing God’s love. Joy and hope come from nearly every page of the New Testament. What if we saturate our lives in the same way? What would change? You may say, as a caretaker, I have limited time to pray or read the Scriptures. While this may be true it’s nearly impossible to give, from an empty place. As little as ten minutes a day can benefit us as we, strengthen our inner selves, trusting as we lean on the Lord, God’s peace will fill us.
Teilhard de Chardin said, “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.” We define joy as the delight and fulfillment of the spirit. It comes when we make peace with who we are, why we are here and how we relate to God and others. This can mean not living in the past, not carrying the baggage of past experiences. We may need to let go of both good and bad, so we can live in the present. May we have eyes to see that when we are anxious, we are not living in the moment and perhaps missing the signs of love, hope and joy that surround us. When one is in God there is a joy that no one can take from you.
St. Peter knew Christ’s suffering was a prelude to glory and so it is for us. God always keeps His promises. In 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast, all your worries upon Him because He cares for you.” What a relief when we do and realize God is willing to be responsible for the things we are anxious about. We are encouraged to ‘let go’ (cast) and give to the Lord.
Joyce Rupp writes, “In Advent we restore our confidence that we will not be abandoned, even though our desires and goals may not have been met. When we have hope we are kinder, more loving, less judgmental and increasingly generous with our caring presence. This kind of hope carries us into Christmas where we reactivate and again celebrate Love coming to dwell among us.” Let’s wait in hope for the coming of the Lord!
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