I Want To Hold Jesus in My Heart this Christmas
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What is joy and how do we get it and keep it? First of all, joy isn’t a feeling. Happiness on the other hand is just fleeting pleasure. Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. If we want to keep this joy, we need to pray to the Holy Spirit to increase our joy. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” James:1:2
I heard it explained once about joy: J is for Jesus to reign in my heart. O is to extend my love and care to others. Y is myself. If I keep Jesus in my heart and love others as best I can then I will have joy within my heart.
Joy is not the absent of trials and difficulties that each of us experience in this life. We can have joy permeate our inner joy in all that we do. When we spend time reading God’s word, participating in Mass and receiving Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Holy Eucharist we have reason for our hope and our joy.
I like being around joyful people because the Light of the Holy Spirit dwells within them despite difficulties they are going through. Jesus says: “In the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John16:33
Sometimes though we, concluding myself, can fall into a negative attitude. The world, the flesh. and the devil drag us down. We look like sourpuss Christians like we just swallowed a bunch of sour gummy bears. (words taken from Deacon Bob) We can choose to stay in this self-defeating attitude or we can ask Jesus to fill us with his peace and joy. “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.”
When Jesus walked this earth, He was joy itself. That is why people followed Him. They wanted to be around Jesus. When I am going through a difficult time, I find going to a quiet place asking Jesus to fill me with his joy, peace and hope. He never disappoints me. Jesus is the source of our joy, love, truth, peace and mercy.
Every day, we choose to look at our lives as a glass that is half empty or we choose to look at our lives as a glass that is full. What has helped me greet the day with thanksgiving is the following. Every day when I wake up before I get out of bed, I say: “Good morning, Father, good morning, Jesus, good morning, Holy Spirit, good morning, Blessed Mary ever virgin, good morning, Saint Joseph her most chaste spouse, good morning, all you holy angels and saints. Thank you for another untouched beautiful day.” This helps me to greet the day with gratitude.
Indeed, God is waiting for us to ask Him to fill us with His Joy, Peace, Love, and Mercy.
Let Us Pray
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:12)
Connie Beckman resides in Helena Montana with her husband and their dog Chewie and their two cats Heidi and Bailey. A number of years ago, she was the editor and feature story writer for a small bi-weekly newspaper. Connie has been published in a number of Catholic magazines. Margaret Ann Stimatz, Ruth Lloyd, and Connie co-authored a 40-day-reflection booklet entitled: Mercy for Little Souls which contains tidbits about the late Father Stu Long's powerful ministry with quotes from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy In My Soul. Mercy for Little Souls is available at Beyond.227.org. Her desire as a writer is to encourage Catholic spiritual growth by sharing the truths of the faith through the written word addressing a variety of subjects. "Go out to all the world and tell the good news." Mark 16:15.
