How to find true joy

Filed in Spirituality by on December 21, 2014 2 Comments

What is joy? Is it a feeling or an emotion? Is it an attitude or an outlook that you can choose to experience through an active decision? Is it a gift that’s beyond your own decisions and efforts? How do we find it? A sermon by Fr Stephen Wang

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Fr Stephen Wang is a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Westminster. He is currently Senior University Chaplain for the Archdiocese. Some of his articles have previously been published on his personal blog, Bridges and Tangents. See: http://bridgesandtangents.wordpress.com/

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  1. mags says:

    No – I don’t believe we are happy when we get what we want . . . I believe That ‘getting what you want’ is a superficial fickle delight momentarily fulfilling us with pleasure.

    I believe we are truly happy when we are met unawares by a wonder which we recognise as ‘familiar’ ~ a mysterious knowingness – usually met in a previously unknown place, which we recognise as something similar in a place that has touched us and filled us with wonder once before. This inspires us and draws us forward in more wonder ~ which is where your/the church’s interpretation of eternal Longing is described.

    However truly it is not in the Longing but in the Being ~ in the Stilling ~ in the Knowing ~ in the Oneing, in the Now.

    Whereas Joy ~ I believe ~ is a naturally gifted innate characteristic – which Graced with ~ despite life’s devastation, adversity, and cruelty ~ surfaces again and again and again and again ~ like fruit appearing regardless, on the trees each year. A Fruit of the Spirit. A gift from God.

    And if we Love ~ Truly Love all the little wonders of life ~ then we are inspirited ~ & Joy becomes our Spirit.

    Have a warm & merry Chris†mass Stephen xxx

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