Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is the result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Joy is the sign of holiness. It is most prominent characteristic of Saints. What are the things we have to be joyful about? Jesus told us, “These things I have spoken to you that my Joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (Jn. 15:11). We have every reason to be joyful. Our vocation to follow Christ, the number of years we have spent in His service, the times of close intimacy with Him, are all a matter of great rejoicing.
Joy is the command of Christ and is the means of our Apostolate. When we experienced the joy of God in our lives, our lives are bound to change. Failures have no power to deprive us of joy. The life of a Christian is a life of joy and love. The inner depth of joy and happiness has to bloom and flower in our smile and laughter. God did not create us to be sad and downcast. He gave us His grace, strength and love to be happy and joyful. A person who has this gift of joy is a friend of everyone.
God has filled the universe with joy of His mirth. One has to turn the pages of the Bible to discover the abundance of joy written almost on every page of the Word of God. The greatest joy is to be found in God Himself; “for the joy of the Lord is my strength” “May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy”
Our apostolate whether is teaching, catechizing or social work must have just one aim, Love through service. The joy and cheerfulness we display in serving the people of God, should be a finger pointing to them that our Home is in Heaven. Looking at the joy in our lives, smile on our lips people have to believe in the Risen Lord.
Smile, laughter and song are but facets of that one great ‘Joy’ which is born of peace and contentment. Why are we joyful? Because God is right in our midst and in our hearts. “Joy is the flag flown high from the castle of my heart, from the castle of my heart, when the King is in residence there ….” for we know that this God our Father has care of us. It is this trust which is the cause of our joy. Joy cures sickness and keeps one in good health. It eases tension. Smile and laughter are the climax of Joy.
I enjoy the laughter of our Apostolic Carmel recreations. There joy, mirth, wit and humour are all combined and merriment is a large ingredient of the joyful tone of our meetings. Our Holy Mother Teresa, who would play the instrument and dance to the accompaniment to enliven the community recreation with peals of laughter.
The laughter and smile is the need of the hour when so many people are busy recalling the sad story of today’s world, a necessary counter balance for health of mind, body and soul. It is joy that brings comfort to a troubled heart and gives it a new zest for life amid its difficulties. Joy is a blessing and a means of fulfilling our mission as Apostolic Carmelites.
Our way of life as sisters of the Apostolic Carmel offers us no less. It is a response to a Charism that calls us to deepest intimacy with Christ. We follow it in freedom and joy. When self-giving is made meaningful, life becomes full of purpose and chasing rainbows loses its charms. When we are possessed by joy, we can make the best out of the worst situation. Genuine deep down joy brings healing to troubled minds and heavy hearts. The world may seem to be in a mess. But a voice sounds through the confusion, saying “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world’, so we believe. May the Lord melt our hearts with Joy, so that we may be generous enough to allow our love to flow to those who need us, and strive to build up deep, intimate relationship with all. May God adorn our whole being with His Joy, so that by our life we may shout aloud to the world “It is not I that live, but Christ lives in me!”.
Sister M. Rosilde A.C.(1978)
Carmel Convent, Pezar