The Sacrament of Joy
A friend and I were talking not long ago, discussing how things were going in her life. At one point, she told me that she was struggling with feeling blue, a bit down, and in praying about it, felt God calling her to count the things that bring her joy.
Not her blessings, but the things that brought her joy. She admitted that her first thought was that the list wouldn’t be very long, but decided to do it anyway. After all, she had nothing to lose. As we talked, she admitted that she became rather surprised to see that her list of things that brought her joy was getting rather long. She soon came to realize that, in specifically choosing to focus on those things that brought her joy, her perspective shifted, her spirit lifted - and yes, she began to feel that very sense of joy she feared she had lost.
Joy is special and unique. Joy is not the same as being happy. Happiness is contingent on our life circumstances. We are happy when things go our way, when we get a promotion or a raise, when a project goes well, when life delivers what we expect. But joy? Joy is not dependent on what life delivers; joy is a gift - a sacramental gift that reflects the divine in all we behold, in all that we experience. Joy will survive even when we are in the darkest night of the soul. Joy arises in the midst of grief and sorrow and heartache because it is a divine gift, an anointing of grace unexpected; a reminder that God remains in the midst of us even when people and circumstances abandon and betray. Joy remains.
Focusing on what brings joy is an amazing way to shift our attitude, a holy way to create an atmosphere where we see and feel God’s presence in the very world and circumstances that surround us. And doesn’t that point to joy as being a sacramental gift in a deeply visceral way? For what is a sacrament, after all, but a physical sign or symbol of a spiritual reality. By choosing to ponder the things that bring us joy, we are affirming the reality of God in our lives by affirming Him in those things that speak to us of Him through joy.
And so, in this sacramental celebration of joy, a few things in which I’ve found joy in the past few days:
The graceful swirl of an osprey’s wing as it takes flight from the red maple’s budding branch;
Spring flowers unfolding in my back yard, … along the road: purple, pink, yellow, white… heady scents arising like incense from earth to heaven;
The small brown wren that scolds me from the tip of the butterfly bush as I weed too closely to her nest in the birdhouse, angry beak beating in staccato rhythm of warning;
A bike ride in May’s soft evening, lavish breezes carrying scents of lilac and ocean tang —and a tantalizing aroma of chicken on a grill from an unseen backyard patio;
A white egret taking flight from the marsh, its stretched neck pointing upwards to a holy heaven, wide wings floating so slowly, one wonders how it will possible rise high enough to fly;
The cove, drenched in the orange-red of setting sun, the flat-glass grey of receding tide, softly lapping sounds of evening’s descent;
A shared dinner with my sweet husband on our recently re-opened back porch, wild birdsong our background symphony, and spring-green drapes of newly-leafed trees;
A new quilt slowly forming, bright colors in crisp pattern sewn together, the creation of a new thing bringing a sweet song to my heart;
A new book to choose - poetry? mystery? biography? So much wonder in the pouring out of words on pages innumerable.
All these things bring me joy - and so much more! The sacramental tallying of the joy-filled things in our lives can’t help but lead us straight to the Divine Heart of God, for He created all of this for the very joy of it! - and for the joy in sharing it with His beloved created ones. A Divine and joy-filled circle.
Go ahead. Start the recounting of those things that bring you joy. Be overcome with the wonder of it! Be immersed in the beauty of the joy - if only for a few moments. I can guarantee - seeing and naming the joy will change your heart.