“At the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.”
Today is the 4th Sunday of Advent. Very soon, we will experience the joy of the coming of our Lord. This is the same joy that John the Baptist experienced in his mother’s womb.
There is a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness tends to be a temporary feeling in the mind; joy is long-term feeling in the soul. Happiness depends on and reacts to circumstances – we look for someone or something to “make us happy.” Joy comes from within, can endure hardship, and can exist even when there is difficulty or uncertainty.
My grandmother was a great example of joy. Despite losing a four-year-old son, losing her husband after only 20 years of marriage, losing an adult daughter, and living her whole life with little more than a roof over her head, she was one of the most joyful people I have ever known. I think the reason that my grandmother was so joyful is that she lived in the moment. Instead of dwelling on the difficulties that she faced in her past life, she took joy in each new day and each new encounter. Her joy came from within, she did not sit there waiting for others to make her happy.
After John the Baptist “leaped for joy” in his mother’s womb, he spent his adult life joyfully preparing the way for Jesus by preaching the coming of the Kingdom of God. He never lost the joy of that earliest encounter with Jesus when each was in his mother’s womb and he worked tirelessly to share that joy. We, too, are invited to witness to our faith joyfully. As Pope Francis once remarked, “I cannot imagine a Christian who does not know how to smile.” He went on to remind us that: “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus.”
In these final days before Christmas, when we may be overwhelmed by last minute preparations, let’s not forget to be joyful. Let’s live in the moment joyfully praising God, grateful for all that He has given us. Most importantly, as we encounter Jesus this Christmas and each day thereafter, let’s be sure to always “leap for joy.”
Fr. Mike
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