March 10, 2024
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near.– Philippians 4:4-5 –
In a certain sense, it is not easy to rejoice always. Those around us may say be happy, stay positive – meaning well, they remain unaware of the pressure they put on others with the attitude of relentless positivity. In the end, I do not think that Saint Paul’s command to rejoice always is quite the same as staying positive. For one, Saint Paul is no stranger to adversity. He is also first to recognize the difficulty he has experienced. How he lays out his trials and tribulations may make some think he prefers not to rejoice. This is where the two paths diverge: rejoice always and stay positive. To rejoice always is to recognize that the source of our joy is Jesus Christ and that He is the one trustworthy object of joy. To stay positive invokes a sense of an internal mechanism that is run off encouraging self-talk. To rejoice in the Lord always, we are encouraged to remember who Christ is and what great love He has for us. Below are several quotes from essential Saints in the life of the Church. I hope that these individuals can encourage you to rejoice always in the Lord! These, and other quotes, can be found on the blog of Amanda Zurface.
· “It seems to me that the happiness of a soul consists entirely in conforming to the most adorable Will of God; for in so doing the heart finds peace and the spirit joy and repose, since he “who is joined to the Lord in one spirit with him.” (1 Corinthians 6:17).” – SAINT MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE
· “You ask me whether I am in good spirits. How could I not be so? As long as faith gives me strength, I will always be joyful.” – BLESSED PIER GIORGIO FRASSATI
· “Joy is the happiness of love – love aware of its own inner happiness. Pleasure comes from without, and joy comes from within, and it is, therefore, within reach of everyone in the world.” – VENERABLE FULTON J. SHEEN
· “True happiness is to rejoice in the truth, for to rejoice in the truth is to rejoice in You, O God, who are the truth… Those who think that there is another kind of happiness look for joy elsewhere, but theirs is not true joy.” – SAINT AUGUSTINE
· “Never let anything so fill you with sorrow as to make you forget the joy of Christ risen.” – SAINT MOTHER THERESA OF CALCUTTA
· “Christian joy is a gift of God flowing from a good conscience.” – SAINT PHILIP NERI
· “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” – HENRI J.M. NOUWEN
· “God made us for joy.” – SAINT POPE JOHN PAUL II
· “Joy is the infallible sign of God’s presence.” – PIERRE TEIHARD DE CHARDIN
· “We who are Christians have a further cause for joy: like Jesus, we know that we are loved by God our Father. This love transforms our lives and fills us with joy. It makes us see that Jesus did not come to lay burdens upon us. He came to teach us what it means to be fully happy and fully human. Therefore, we discover joy when we discover truth–the truth about God our Father, the truth about Jesus our Savior, the truth about the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts.” – SAINT POPE JOHN PAUL II
· “The Lord looked into the depth of my being with great kindness; I thought I would die for joy under that gaze.” – SAINT FAUSTINA
“A devout life, above all things, is a life that is sweet, happy and amiable.” – SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES
Two Parishes, One Heart,
Fr. Adam