Pope Francis begins his Apostolic Exhortation (Evangelii Gaudium) saying that “the joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus.” But is this true? Is this your experience of the people who claim to be Christians in your life? The Pope then says that “those who accept God’s offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness,” but are the Christians you know “aglow with the Spirit,” as St. Paul puts it (Romans 12:11)? Or are they as sinful, sorrowful, empty and lonely as everyone else?
Yet the Pope himself clearly shines forth with joyfulness, as did Mother Theresa of Calcutta. When I met Jean Vanier, I felt his joy as if it were an energy filling the room. So I know that the joy, which the Pope speaks of, actually exists! But why is it not experienced in the lives of all Christians? Pope Francis is very aware of this, admitting that “there are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter.”
Perhaps we once felt excited by Jesus and committed ourselves to living God’s will for us, but we now feel lifeless and end up resentful, angry and listless as Pope Francis writes? We still go to Mass, perform corporal and spiritual works of mercy, donate to Church appeals. But is being a Christian really about a ‘to do list’ where we earn heaven via those in need (on whom we perform our works of mercy)? Have we “lost our first love” (Revelation 2:4)?
The Pope’s answer is to “invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting Him encounter them.” If I don’t think I require this invitation then I need to ask myself how joyful I am. Would anyone meeting me know I was a Christian?
In case we doubt the importance of joy in the life of a Christian, the Pope gives example after example from scripture about how joy is the sign of being close to God. The Pope doesn’t quote his fellow Jesuit, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who said “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God,” but he could have! However Pope Francis does assure us that our joy in our relationship with God is not one sided. He reminds us that God rejoices “over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing, as on a day of festival” (Zeohaniah 3:17) or, as a scripture scholar once told me, the last segment of this quotation can also be translated as “every time God thinks of you, God dances for joy!”
What examples do we have from scripture of persons whose response to God is filled with joy? Jesus of course, but also King David! In Paul’s sermon at Antioch he refers to the statement made by God concerning David: “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will” (Acts 13:22, cf Isaiah 13:13-14). I suggest that this beautiful compliment, “a man [or woman] after My own heart,” should characterize every Christian. David sinned, but he honestly admitted his faults and returned to God asking for forgiveness. He trusted God, he was grateful; he sought out God’s will and was obedient. He was filled with joy as when he danced (2 Samuel 6:14) as the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem, much to the embarrassment of his wife! David and God were in a close relationship with each other which was constantly being renewed.
As humans we will always stray but “whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that He is already there, waiting for us with open arms,” as Pope Francis says, “with a tenderness which never disappoints but is always capable of restoring our joy, He makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew.” As our Savior says of himself, “Behold I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). “How good it feels to come back to Him whenever we are lost!” Pope Francis says with evident joy.
This joy is longed for by all of us! So when we feel genuine joy in someone, we are attracted, we want what they have. Joy is for sharing, joy is pure energy which makes us feel alive! Without it life is flat as if we are living by rote, existing rather than living! Evangelization is the sharing of this joy and as St. Francis of Asisi said “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” May our joy speak for us as it attracts everyone we meet to Jesus!
