The Joy of Christ 

   “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.  This is my commandment:  that you love one another.” (John 15: 10 – 11) 

   If I am to know the joy of Christ, I must love.  Without love, there can be no true joy or happiness, only cheap imitations.

   I am vividly reminded of the love of Christ each time I attend Mass.  At the consecration of the Eucharist, He once again offers His body and blood for the forgiveness of my sins.  I can’t explain the miracle that makes a little wafer of unleavened bread become His body or how the wine is changed into His blood, but I know the joy of receiving them into my own body.

   To follow Him, to know His joy, I must share my joy with others, and His joy is the joy of love.  I must love others as He loves me.  I know that it’s not possible for me to love as He loves, but I must make the effort; I must try. 

   Jesus taught that I must love even my enemies.  As He was dying on the cross, He loved His enemies so much that He prayed for their forgiveness; “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34).

   The joy of Christ is the love of Christ.  If I do not know His love, and share that love with others, I will never know His joy. 

In You there is joy.

Without love I can’t know that joy.

Fill me with Your love.

That I may know Your joy. 

Amen