Third Sunday of Advent Staff Reflections
JOY
As a mother’s heart fills with joy when her child is born, so the world is consumed with joy as the Son of God comes to us on Christmas. Filled with joy, we welcome and celebrate the Lord’s birth, celebrating the abundant and enduring love of our God who, in His infinite wisdom and charity, sent His Son to us. – Maggie Gruschow
JOY means Happiness. My whole family being together is my happiness! My Ohio family, my church family, my work family. I think of Joy when I see someone smile or hear someone laugh. It’s easy to spread Joy with a simple smile. A few years ago when we lived in Virginia my children learned that JOY meant “Jesus, Others, Yourself” at their CCD class. We have tried to remember to always use that meaning now. We put Jesus first, then others, lastly yourself. It’s a great way to always remember to keep Jesus at the front of your heart. He will bring you the ultimate JOY in your life. - Amy Morano
Webster’s definition of “joy” tells us that we are feeling “great pleasure and happiness”, this time of the year presents many options to illustrate just that – despite our altered state of living! Whether you are connected to family & friends live or virtually, you breath freely without distress or anxiety, you wake up just a bit more hopeful than the day before or countless other experiences of simple pleasure that every human being takes for granted during the course of the day, your “joy”, my “joy” comes from the most basic of human emotions. Nurture, then, and be joyful for the simplest of things in the most complicated of times. - George Ehgartner
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Peter 1: 8-9 This may seem a rather odd verse at Christmas and especially with all that is going on in our world with the pandemic. With the lockdown and other personal things in our lives – I find these verses help me for the joy that I feel and hope that you do too in the Advent Joy of our Salvation. God bless. - Father D’Emma
Jesus left heaven and came into this world bound by time and flesh with the sole desire of our salvation. He was willing to suffer and die so that we might someday be with him forever. Such love has no equal on earth and is the cause of my joy. People often confuse joy with happiness, but they are not interchangeable. Joy is from within, regardless of what is going on around you. Happiness can be a blurred emotion, dependent on a situation. Joyful people make a commitment to gratitude regardless of the circumstances. - Robin Lees