What are we thinking about JOY this week?

Amen to all of the POSTs and comments on our discussions of JOY--as well as to all of the text messages and emails that have let me know that in some way or another we truly are contemplating, musing...hagah (chewing, meditating, gnawing upon)...the concepts and Truths that the HolySpirit has been placing upon our hearts and minds about JOY!

So, now that we have been graced with yet another whole week to think upon this particularly amazing "fruit of the HolySpirit", I am curious to know what parts have begun to, well, perhaps clarify?...solidify?...deepen?...or at least come more into focus? for everyone.

I keep asking myself how I would best define JOY, and, although I kinda feel like I'm getting closer, I still find myself more often describing what JOY feels like, or perhaps going further and recounting times in which I feel joyful, or of circumstances which give me joy, or maybe even what happens or what I do when I am joy-FILLED.  I have read articles that define JOY as feelings of great elation...of extreme gladness...the relief, assurance and pleasurable conviction of fulfillment...or, maybe as less of an emotion and more of a deep contentment or satisfaction...as all-encompassing confidence in true hope...as indescribable gratitude and thanksgiving in remembrance.

I remember a scene in a movie in which a teenage boy was trying to describe "color" to a girl who was born blind. After realizing that saying things like "the sky is blue" or "the grass is green" was frustratingly incomprehensible to her, the boy decided to let her "experience" color instead.  So he filled buckets with things like ice cold water (blue), fluffy soft cotton balls (white), hot chili peppers for tasting (red), soft freshly turned soil (brown), hard pieces of gravel (black), etc...and allowed her to start learning about color through experience. Although she would never be able to "see" colors in the way our "sight-filled" world has taught us to recognize them, she began to "experience" the colors in ways that went far beyond labels, engaging all of her senses and conjuring up sensations and the recognition of connections that were until then untapped and seemingly far removed from her ability to understand or know. 

And so, I am beginning to think that this is the way with JOY, too. JOY is experiential...a manifestation, a result of, a wonderful wonder-filled consequence of our connection with the God within us. Each one of us can pull up an experience, a moment, a time or a feeling of JOY in our life...tapping into the incredible sensation of recognizing something beyond us, deeper than us, huger than us, so amazingly greater than anything we could ever fathom...and being filled with an undeniable indescribable sense of love, gratitude, release, hope and trust, assurance and awe...joy. NO matter what is going on around us.

So, someone once taught me that JOY is a state of being that can only come out of a willing choice to remember...an act of release and acceptance...a true knowing of HIM who lives within me that produces a hope that truly knows (has experienced/has been shown) HIS sovereignty, HIS forgiveness, HIS mercy and compassion beyond understanding...and then, the decision to fall into that knowing...to trust with every fiber of my being. To WALK in that knowing at every moment, with every breath, with every thought, in every act and decision...and so, be able to fully LIVE.  It's truly a FRUIT of the HolySpirit dwelling and working and partnering within ME...no matter what is happening around me.

And so going back over all of the verses, I began to notice that the words only made sense/had impact when I viewed them through the perspective of relationship with and in the God that lives and breathes life within me.  Whether talking about hope in times of trials and suffering, remembering in times of happiness or of woe, consolation when I have strayed, staying steadfast in times of seeking and "listening"...all of the verses on joy and rejoicing speak to an underlying relationship and intimate connection to the God that "resides in the castle of my heart"!

Two sets of verses that have really spoken into my heart this week are from Isaiah and Psalms--for some reason, looking through the lens of on-going relationship and the forgiveness after the falling away, the recognition of the freedom from fear and self-centered focus and worry, the love (and His sovereignty IN that love) over all in my life...just fills me with, well, deep deep gratitude...and JOY!

Isaiah 12 (Amplified):

And on that day you will say,

“I will give thanks to You, O Lord;

For though You were angry with me,

Your anger has turned away,

And You comfort me.

“Behold, God, my salvation!

I will trust and not be afraid,

For the Lord God is my strength and song;

Yes, He has become my salvation.”

Therefore with joy you will draw water

From the springs of salvation.

And in that day you will say,

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name [in prayer].

Make His deeds known among the peoples [of the earth];

Proclaim [to them] that His name is exalted!”

Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done excellent and glorious things;

Let this be known throughout the earth.

Rejoice and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,

For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. 

Psalm 16 (NRSVCE):

Song of Trust and Security in God

1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;

   I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,

   in whom is all my delight.

4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;

   their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

   or take their names upon my lips.

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;

   you hold my lot.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

   I have a goodly heritage.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;

   in the night also my heart instructs me.

8 I keep the Lord always before me;

   because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;

   my body also rests secure.

10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,

   or let your faithful one see the Pit.

11 You show me the path of life.

   In your presence there is fullness of joy;

   in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

So! Any thoughts?? Share in a new POST or add a comment to this one--and let's share the pathways the HolySpirit has been walking us through!

Stay warm and safe and healthy this week. Pray always and hard!

love
maggie 

" Joy is the flag flown high from the castle of my heart when the King is in residence there. So let it fly in the sky and let the whole world know, let the whole world know, that the King is in residence there."
One of my go to hymns when I can't pray. It brings a smile to my face. It reminds me that God is always watching over me. When I am in need, God Brings into my life exactly what I need.
I learned that hymn while in a prayer group from St. Mary. One day when I was lost and spinning, I went to Mass at 9:30 am. I cried during Mass because my family was in turmoil and pain. A elderly couple watched me cry and asked what was wrong. I blurted out my story. Basically they adopted me and my children. They became part of my family. There is no doubt in my mind that God placed me and them at Mass at OLM that day on purpose. They got me involved in the prayer group.
Because of that prayer group, I grew. I began the process of stabilizing.
That hymn has been in my heart ever since. It has been a help to me for 35 years now. It serves as a reminder to me that God is there for me all of the time. Good times and not so good times. It reminds me that I can do all things through God, who lives in me.  God who strengthens me. It reminds me that JOY comes from God, not from the world. It also reminds me that in my darkest hours,God is ever watching, waiting my strength and faith He will renew. God will bring me out of the darkness to the sunshine of a better and brighter day. It also reminds me to let the world know that God is within me. To let the world know that " Joy is the flag flown high from the castle of my heart when the King is in residence there!" And God is in residence every hour of everyday!

My thoughts on Joy

I know I have built up walls around my heart to protect myself from pain. I have conditioned myself to believe that if I let myself experience joy, something bad will happen and take it away. I am working on working with God to change/transform that. I would like to get to that place where I can sustain joy regardless of the circumstances. I also struggle with wanting things for myself and considering it selfish, so that's another messed up belief system I need to work on.

I really love the devotional Debbie shared. I have two stories to share that mean joy to me.

When I was little I got a record player. I used to listen to my siblings records on it (Alvin and the Chipmunks and the Monkees).  Then over the years I gradually collected my own records (Billy Joel, Elton John, Beach Boys, Eagles and so many more). That record player and those records....music....is and has always been a gift of joy to me from the Holy Spirit, I believe. I held onto a core selection of those records and they had been sitting in my attic. This past Christmas, Michael's girlfriend bought Sarah a  Victrola  record player and a Christmas record. I might have been more excited about that gift than Sarah was-lol. I couldn't wait to put our Christmas stuff back in the attic so that Michael could get my records out for me while he was up there. I told Sarah that I feel like that box of records is my heart and soul.....they have so much meaning to me. I would sit in my room for hours listening to and sometimes dancing to those records. I would read and study the cover and the words. Music  has always been a source of joy for me and I forget that sometimes. I truly believe the Holy Spirit speaks to me through music and I am so, so grateful for that. I told Michael with much joy and enthusiasm that I had listened to some of my records and he smiled and was like "ok mom, that's good, relax." I felt joy telling him that and it felt good to feel that joy bubbling up from within. When I think how those records are my heart and soul....I imagine I'm holding them collectively in my hands as this precious gift....it makes my heart swell and makes tears come to my eyes. I believe that to be the gratitude meeting the Prsence  of the Giver of that most precious gift.

I am so thankful Michael loves music and played an instrument in high school. I always think if I could go back I would have learned to play the drums and I would have asked to take dance classes/lessons. Maybe one day I still can.

My other story is when I went to Great Adventure with Michael and his cousin TJ one July several years back. My intention in going was to get over my fear of the big falls in roller coasters. After going on a couple and having my head bounced around and not really enjoying them at all, I decided it was silly and not really necessary to overcome my fear of roller coasters. The day was not a loss by any means.  There was some ride Michael and TJ wanted to go on that cost extra money and they asked if they could have the money for it. I obliged and they were so happy and thrilled. It brought me great joy to see them having so much fun riding that ride and others the rest of the day. I have always considered that day a great gift because of the joy it gave me as a result of me being able to provide them joy. Hope that makes sense.

One thing Sarah has taught me is that you can have joy despite your challenges/circumstances I call her my generator of joy. Sometimes she'll just start laughing at nothing. Her giggle and laugh are infectious.....medicine for my soul.....every laugh chipping away on some  level at that wall I built. I am sure she is here to help heal me, she is and has been exactly what I have needed just as she is. She of course is not always giggles and smiles, she struggles with her situation. Sometimes it's hard for her to see what a gift she is and how I know she is helping many people, not just me. I am so thankful for my relationship with her, she is truly my best girlfriend and one of the best gifts of my life.

"Sara, you're the poet in my heart
Never change, and don't you ever stop"
-Sara by Fleetwood Mac

Peace, Love, Hugs, Music and Joy to all.
Carol Ann

Continuing our Conversations with God on JOY

Woohoo! Thank God for a day without headache!! It feels like, well, literally a NEW lease on life!! Amen to that!

Ok, so just checking in with everyone to see how the week's contemplation/musings/conversations with God on JOY is coming along? If you haven't already done so, PLEASE start writing down the verses in your journal--and maybe even add the ones that have popped up throughout the week in your personal readings/reflections, as well as the ones offered throughout the comments too. 

I am absolutely LOVING the musings that are coming across the blog--as well as, crazy as it always seems, through the things that have been popping up in my inbox about JOY! I remember being amazed when a teacher told us to "keep watch, and witness" the Truth that whenever God has a message to give to His people, He sends the HolySpirit to every pulpit (no matter the denomination!), into every inbox, alongside every roadside, through every open book, into every "random" conversation until His Word is spoken and heard. Even through the dullness of my headaches last week, I could not help but take note that every day there was yet another article about JOY in my inbox.  (The most recent one was from my Jewish learning site--a call to a study on living a "Better Life" entitled: Do You Live A Life of JOY? Hah! How's THAT for a confirmation of our study!)

Isaiah 55:10-11
For just as from the heavens 
   the rain and snow come down
And do not return there till they have watered the earth, 
   making it fertile and fruitful, 
Giving seed to him who sows 
   and bread to him who eats,
So shall My word be 
   that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void, 
   but shall do My will,
   achieving the end for which I sent it.

So!! How has your week of study on JOY been, ladies? Any new thoughts, changes or deepening in understanding on this concept? Can't wait to hear what the HolySpirit has been asking you to share!

Just in case, I am again including the verses for our discussion tomorrow, plus a few added ones from the comments and posts from this week:

1 Peter 1:8-9

Hebrews 12:2

Phil 1:3-5

Phil 4:6-7

James 1:2-3

Psalm 30:5

Romans 15:13

Psalm 94:19

Psalm 149:4

Psalm 118:24

Galatians 5:22-24 

also:

Nehemiah 8:10 

Psalm 4:7 (or if using a catholic edition--Psalm 4:8)

CCC 2648

CCC 1817

Note: the last two are from the Catechism of the Catholic Church as mentioned in Lorraine's post.  I have actually added them as direct links to the paragraphs in the CCC, but just fyi--we have a link for the Catechism of the Catholic Church along the lefthand side of our blog! To search up a topic or a specific paragraph, just click on the link and go to the middle of the opening page where it says "Search the Catechism of the Catholic Church." Type in your word or paragraph number in the search box et voila! Start investigating the incredible richness of teachings within!

See everyone tomorrow!
love
maggie

Uncovering JOY

Uncovering JOY

1817 Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." "The Holy Spirit . . . he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life."

When we were studying Hope, I looked up Hope in the catechism for a definition.  It made me realize hope is not me, as one person, being Hopeful for a situation to work out (of course, this is what happens a lot in my life I pray for things to work out!), but it is the hope for something so much greater, which should transcend my wanting one thing to work out!  So that has been weighing on me to look higher, like Helen said, not to look down at the situation but up to God.  So, I really have been looking at that over Christmas time.  I now realize how much this is tied into JOY! So there are a lot of entries for joy in the catechism and the one I realize pertains to what I have been thinking about:

2648 Every joy and suffering, every event and need can become the matter for thanksgiving which, sharing in that of Christ, should fill one's whole life: "Give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thess 5:18).

When I have a difficult situation and I finally give it to God (if I just try to “fix” it myself –sometimes it is a MESS!), I pray for the situation and then I thank God.  The more I thank God the more comforted I am and that is when I SEE the joy.  It has been difficult to find the time to just BE – so many things need to be done.  So I am thoughtfully taking time to sit and pray.  I also want to go to adoration.  I am trying to focus more on the understanding that I have Jesus right in front of me all the time in the Eucharist. I so often think of how many of our ladies go to daily mass…so beautiful!   I read a booklet called “I wait for you” from a book called “The Way of Divine Love” from Sister Josefa Menendez (1890-1923).  It was a nun that Jesus appeared to and discussed the Eucharist.  I was struck by the beauty of the words……  “Still I wait all night and watch in the tabernacle for that soul….fervently hoping that she will come and receive Me... that she will converse with Me with all the trust of a bride... telling Me of her sorrows, her temptations, her sufferings…asking My advice and begging for the graces she needs for herself or others… Perhaps she has dependent on her or in her family souls that are in danger and far from Me?... “Come,” I say to her, “let us discuss everything with perfect freedom… Be concerned about sinners…Offer yourself to make reparation.. Promise Me that at least today you will not leave Me alone…”

So, I have been trying to not focus on the myopic issues that surround me, but instead on the higher amazing, incredible, wow!! ness of My God, My Lord, and all the “things” that He has done for me and then as pure Love from Jesus -  the Holy Spirit that is willing to indwell in the mess that I am….Hence JOY! 

And then when Deb Marley sent her reflection on the verses – it solidified it even more for me!  Thank you for sharing Deb! Deb's reflection on two of the verses: 

Phil 4:6-7 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again, rejoice! Your kindness should be know to all. The Lord is near.

How awesome is it that Paul reminds us that we are not left alone or to our own strength, but that the Lord is near, with us, to guide us to protect and strengthen us and that knowledge in and of itself is worthy of rejoicing - To me, that knowledge of God’s presence and providence brings peace and joy - a rejoicing and gratitude in the omnipresence of God!

Romans 15:13 “May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

I just love this verse - it really speaks to me about God’s Grace - in that God in whom hope is abundant fills me with joy and peace and fortifys my faithfulness to grow in joy and peace so that I may be full in the hope of God’s providence.. I don’t know if this makes sense- but this verse is very powerful to me and I will return to it frequently to consider its truth over and over again. - just love it!

Thank you all for your openness in bible study to enable us to really get in there and see where the topic of Joy can take us!  I am so thankful for all of you!