Joy that Lasts

Friends in Christ, today, Jesus says: ‘As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.’

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What is the best way that we remain in his love? He tells us: ‘If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love.’ Remaining in Jesus’ love is not about cheap talk or claiming that one is a Catholic, it’s about how we live. And if we live our life in conformity with the commandments, the result? Christ says: ‘I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.

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The way of Christ is the way of joy. Not the joy the world gives; a Christian does not always have emotional joy, and we certainly encounter the cross – but a Christian will always have, deep in his gut, the sense that he is at peace with God.

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This world is passing, it is temporary. The world is desperate to find happiness, but it’s approach does not really yield peace, or joy. Who does not have joy? Those who do not keep the commandments.

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Find the person who steals and lies, a deceiver – he is not really happy. Find the person who is a slave to money and things – they are not happy. Find the person who is caught in sensuality and passion, – he is not happy.

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But if you find the person who was kind to an enemy at school – he smiles as he goes to sleep, because he knows he did well. Find a person who told the truth even if he paid a price for it – his heart is at peace. Find a person who threw the pornography into the garbage or gave up drugs – he is a person who is more happy than before.

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Jesus says: I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. Thomas Aquinas says: Joy that comes from passions and bodily experiences, are not long lasting compared to the joys of the spirit. Pleasures of this world pass quickly, but the joy of doing God’s will gives the joy and the peace that makes us feel complete.