Choosing Joy

In the midst of Advent music, Christmas preparations, cold weather, and community life, choosing joy can be difficult. Recently during spiritual direction I was talking to my spiritual director about all the things that were troubling me and about how hard it is living and working with the same three people. At the end of my little rant I tried to make it clear that through I may struggle at times, this program and parish have been so wonderful to me. I love volunteering at Clonard and living in Wexford. She encouraged me to write down and reflect on all the things that bring me joy. I thought I’d share some of those things here.

When Jenny, Kelli, and I all start singing the same song when we are all cooking in the kitchen (extra bonus if our harmonies sound spectacular)
Listening to the tea ladies tell stories and laugh with each other every morning
A kind parishioner stopping on their way to church to give me a lift
Folk choir practice on Friday nights
Visiting any class at Kennedy Park School
A Thanksgiving road trip to Co. Donegal and Co. Sligo
Westgate (a store and café downtown) soup and brown bread
Spontaneous trips to Dublin for the evening with Jenny
The existence of Facetime and Google Duo so I can easily call home
Saturday evening Vigil choir mass (especially when we introduce a new version of a psalm and people like it!)
Rainbows out my bedroom window
My morning walks and personal prayer
Father Denis and Father Barry
Scones of any variety

A few advents ago I listened to a homily by Father Mike Schmitz on choosing joy even in the midst of hardship. He emphasized that we all need reminding that we can choose joy. Joy is an abiding sense of well being, not up to chance or to happenstance. It is an abiding sense that there is a God and He knows my name. God desires our happiness. This happiness is more than mere pleasure and more than mere emotion. True joy, like true love, is a decision. Joy is the sense of well being that is the result of the certain expectation or possession of one’s heart’s desire.

I hope that whoever is reading this has a wonderful Advent and Christmas! May you keep in mind that true joy comes from the knowledge that God became man not just for all mankind, but you in particular.