Joy Is More Than An Emotion

Jesus said to his disciples: 
"Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn,
while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.
When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because 
her hour has arrived;
but when she has given birth to a child,
she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy
that a child has been born into the world.
So you also are now in anguish.
But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not question me about anything.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you."

Joy is something much more than an emotion, a feeling of happiness.  You can have just experienced a death in the family or have been given a horrible diagnosis by your doctor and in spite of these things you still can have joy in your heart. 

We all feel joy when good things happen.  Yes, getting a raise or promotion at work, meeting your grandchild for the first time, or any one of a thousand different things can elicit the feeling of joy in your heart.  But authentic joy is something altogether different than emotional joy.  Emotional joy comes and goes. True joy, the joy that fills your heart and soul comes from the realization that you are loved by God.  Tears and sorrows may punctuate your time on earth, these happen to all. But the joy that no one can take away from you comes from God and the grace He bestows on you and it resides deep within and is there for you to draw upon when sadness chases away emotional joy.  

The emotion of sadness certainly has to be handled by all of us. We would not be human if we did not feel sad at the death of a loved one, for example.  This is as it should be.  But, deep within us, God is there and His joy will assure you that He has you covered, that you are still loved, that all things will work out for the good eventually.  Your trust in Him will help you find the supply of supernatural joy within you and it will allow you to manage to get through the worst that life has to offer. 

Our brothers and sisters in Purgatory await your prayers.  Please, just an Our Father, Hail Mary, and a Glory Be will mean so much to them.  Thank you!