Happiness and joy are different in that happiness is related to the external situation one is experiencing, while joy is more closely related to an internal state. “Happiness” can be described as an emotion, while “joy” is more directly associated with a state of one’s being. A gift of the Holy Spirit. Even when facing death, Jesus said: I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete (John 15:11).
What if there is no joy in faith? Pope Francis, who recently passed away, says in his first document, Evangelii Gaudium: “The joy of the Gospel fills the heart and life of all who encounter Jesus.” The essence of Christianity is joy. We cannot proclaim the Gospel without joy. Without joy, there is no reason or meaning in faith. So, how much joy do we experience in faith?
The Bible is full of those who experienced this joy. The Magi were extremely happy when they saw the star again. Those who experienced great joy at the birth of Jesus were the shepherds on the road and Simeon and Anna. Jesus invites everyone to the joy of living as children of God through the Beatitudes. “Rejoice and be glad, “Your reward is great in heaven.” (Matthew 5:12)
Jesus’ parables often feature scenes of joy. Joy comes when one discovers the kingdom of God, the most precious thing in life, and it is also the joy of God, who welcomes repentant sinners. In the parable of the prodigal son, when the younger son returns, the father rejoices and prepares a great feast. That joy is so great that the younger son’s ingratitude is no longer a problem. The older son is not able to accept the joy of reconciliation.
But wasn’t the joy of the disciples the greatest when the Lord, who had died, was resurrected? “The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” (John 20:20) The Lord had conquered death and was with them; death had lost its power and the Lord himself had become their hope— it was the driving force that made them spread the gospel of the Lord to all parts of the world without sparing their lives.
However, that joy was filled with suffering and death. Jesus said, “You will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. “You will be sad, but your sadness will be turned into joy” (John 16:20). Jesus said that the disciples would see him again and rejoice and that no one would be able to take that joy away from them. This joy comes after trials and suffering.
Whenever he shares the experience of resurrection with believers, he confirms that we cannot experience the true joy of resurrection unless we die to ourselves and become low and humble. The suffering and trials we face come in the form of worries and pain, but when we endure them in faith, we discover hope that soars higher and realize that the death that accompanies suffering and trials was necessary. We also learn that true joy comes when we entrust our lives to the Lord's will, not our will or desires.
Joy also comes from doing the Lord’s work. Even in the Lord’s work, there are moments of difficulty and pain. However, when we entrust ourselves to the Lord and persevere to the end, the work of our hands is given as gifts. Joy comes from recognizing that everything is a gift from the Lord.
Let's ask ourselves. What kind of joy are we pursuing today?
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