Gadium, Joie, Gioia, JOY

Someone once asked me to define happiness. And I said something to the effect of "feeling wanted, loved, and belonging." And she said that was how she would define joy. Joy is knowing you are loved, you are wanted, you belong to someone (to God), and be grateful. Grateful to know you are blessed. Joy is a way of life. 

"Joy is a net of love by which we catch souls." Mother Teresa 

"Man cannot live without joy; therefore when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures."Thomas Aquinas

In the Gospel readings there have been frequent snip-its on joy. Here are a few: 

"...so that they may share my joy completely."

“I have told you this so that
my joy might be in you and
your joy might be complete.”

"... but your grief will become joy."

"But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy away from you."

Our source of joy is in Christ. Life is hard sometimes. Giving of ourselves is hard - a lot of the times, but Jesus tells us, through the Gospels, it will be worth it. there will be joy.