On Holy Joy

  
 

Why is it that we can sometimes feel a sense of quiet joy for no particular reason? We can wake up some mornings, and joy is just…there, or perhaps more accurately…here. (Now if you are old enough, it could be that there is just joy in simply waking up!!!) But silliness aside, it looks like the feeling of joy is just resident within us. It is, I believe, one of the Gifts of the Spirit, just as are intelligence, wisdom, and creativity among others. 

Un-joy?...

I think that joy is contrasted to happiness because happiness is often event based. If people and things are falling into place as we want, we are happy; if not, we are unhappy. Has anyone ever experienced joy and then un-joy? I think not, because joy is either present, or it is not. It needs nothing for its emergence, and no one looks around anxiously because they don’t feel it at that moment.

 Joy is a part of Wholeness after all...

It is real wisdom to incorporate our resident joy into our spiritual practices, for it seems as if the soul is smiling when we move into spiritual exercises on a flow of joy. Everything seems easier, more flexible and more inspiring. I often include a phrase of “holy joy”…joy is a part of Wholeness after all…when I form a prayer. When I do, somehow the prayer tapestry seems more complete.

Joy works!

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