Happiness turns up more or less where you'd expect it to - a good marriage, a rewarding job, a pleasant vacation.
Joy, on the other hand, is as notoriously unpredictable as the one who bequeaths it.
Frederick Buechner
JOY
still illusive to me, what is it?
overcome by beauty?
the glory of God?
knowing His delight?!??!
I don't envy those who have never known any pain, physical or spiritual, because I strongly suspect that only those who have suffered great pain are able to know equally great joy.
Madeleine L'Engle
and echoing yesterday's reading from Luke 12:33
provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
True joy is the earnest wish we have of heaven, it is a treasure of the soul, and therefore should be laid in a safe place, and nothing in this world is safe to place it in.
John Donne
The universe is not a random assortment of atoms and fiery globes spinning and whirling in empty space to their destruction. Rather it is a symphony of rhythm and harmony that expresses the pleasure of its Creator. Divine joy was and is the primal reason for its existence. And, one might add, for ours also.
Sherwood Wirt
And reminiscent of Dom's farewell talk and today's reflection from the Word Among Us...(June 9)
As you spend time with Jesus, His love and life become like an orchestra. The dreams and desires He has for you will begin to resound within you. His love becomes a triumphant cymbal clash deep in your heart. It is Jesus declaring His faithfulness to you-and that truth stays with you as an anchor for your soul.
At his last mass, Dom shared some of his insights over his 'time on the bench'...
His perception and tone of each of the masses...
the Saturday 7:00 pm 'devoted' mass, a devotion he admires and aspires to.
the 8:00 am 'faithful' mass, something he can't comprehend...being up and out by choice on a Sunday morning?!?
and the 11:00 'vivacious' mass, his favorite!?!?
loud and moving, alive with families with babies and children...
He spoke of Frank Gaspar and how he dreamed of heaven, and how he loved to sing...even though he couldn't! His favorite song was Praise God from whom all blessings flow... and recommended that when an old person talks of heaven to listen!
He shared how he sometimes would spend time out by the lake between masses, sitting on a rock aware of the beautiful harmonies of nature's sounds around him...God's sounds...
How one day after being surrounded by that lovely hour of solitude with God, he came back and played the next mass and at the offertory when it was just instrumental, him playing piano, no voices, he heard a baby crying right up front next to his piano... and he realized it was the most beautiful accompaniment he had ever had. And with tears breaking in his voice he told us that he thanked God for allowing him to accompany such a beautiful chorus.
And then he asked a heartfelt prayer. He wondered why he was being called away from this place he has loved serving for so many years? He expressed that he didn't know where he was even being called...
But he said he felt like that little baby...just making his little natural sounds...and God would provide all the perfect harmonies and orchestrate the symphony he hoped would be his life.
All this word swirls around in my mind this morning...
And I see my own part in this world of creation and beauty and joy...
It does not make sense to me, it is not a clear vision...
But I love to see the mundane normal overlooked flowers, the wild flowers on the side of the road, the beautiful roses, that some people cultivate and care for their whole lives, yet here they just grow, and people walk by them...do they even notice their fragrance, their color?!?
I do...that's my little part...I notice...can I capture what I see?
no...not yet
So many other 'real' photographers do
My vision is just very pure and unmanipulated...raw...primitive
Someday I would love to be able to imitate the beauty I see 'created' thru photography...but right now I just see it...
and that makes me happy
and finding readings that are relevant to what I hear in my life and in my head makes me aware that God really is in me?!? He hears what I hear, what I think...and that makes me happy
is that joy?
i know it is of God
delightful
pure
lovely
beautiful
unique
and individual as each of us are
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