"Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!"
Psalm 43:4
Today is Saturday. Now that I'm retired, days run into each other, but weekends are distinctive. Saturday, I finish any left over cleaning, whether it’s inside or outside. Sometimes I only work for a few minutes. Sometimes, I work for the rest of the day. It’s so nice when the work is finished.
Sunday, of course, is a day of rest. I go to Mass. spend quiet time with the Lord, read Sacred Scriptures, then delve into the arts and crafts. If the kids are home, the arts and crafts go, and I spend time with them.
I wonder if the ancient writer of this psalm looked at the weekends as I do? I don’t think so. Society was different then. The people of the ancient culture lived their faith. The Lord was involved in all they did or said. They were grateful to God for all they had or did. They truly rejoiced in the Lord.
The psalmist expresses his joy by singing and playing his harp. He praised God in song and thanked Him with his harp. The psalmist tells us that God is the cause of his gladness and joy.
God hears his music and is glad. (Read the entire psalm, and you’ll see what I mean.)
I had to stop and think about joy in my life and gratefulness to God. Is God the cause of my gladness and joy or am I too lost in the world? What would give me reason to say that God is the cause of my joy.
God is my Creator and my Sustainer. Without Him I do not exist, I am not even a memory.
Of course, I’m grateful for this, and if I could play a harp, I would use it to thank God for the gift of life.
Joy is entirely different. I used to think of joy as an emotion equivalent to happiness. I am not always happy. Life has been very difficult in the last 10 years. Happiness is elusive, but joy is not, for this reason. Happiness is an emotion. Joy is intellectual.
Joy explodes beyond happiness with faith. Knowing that God is with us through everything, we find our joy in laughter or sorrow.
“So also you now indeed have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you.”
John 16:22
For those who say, “There is no God.” What do we say? Nothing. God is invisible, though His Hand moves through the universe sustaining it, nurturing it. He sustains us and nurtures us. Those who cannot see the invisible. who cannot believe without proof have no answer. We do, and the answer is Faith. There can be no other answer. We accept the things we cannot see, and rest in the knowledge that what has been promised by God will be fulfilled.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1
This gift of faith should bring us great joy! We should dance to the psalmist’s music and praise God’s holy name. Still don’t feel anything? Don’t worry. Happiness is your emotion. Joy is your faith.
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!"
Psalm 43:4
Today is Saturday. Now that I'm retired, days run into each other, but weekends are distinctive. Saturday, I finish any left over cleaning, whether it’s inside or outside. Sometimes I only work for a few minutes. Sometimes, I work for the rest of the day. It’s so nice when the work is finished.
Sunday, of course, is a day of rest. I go to Mass. spend quiet time with the Lord, read Sacred Scriptures, then delve into the arts and crafts. If the kids are home, the arts and crafts go, and I spend time with them.
I wonder if the ancient writer of this psalm looked at the weekends as I do? I don’t think so. Society was different then. The people of the ancient culture lived their faith. The Lord was involved in all they did or said. They were grateful to God for all they had or did. They truly rejoiced in the Lord.
The psalmist expresses his joy by singing and playing his harp. He praised God in song and thanked Him with his harp. The psalmist tells us that God is the cause of his gladness and joy.
God hears his music and is glad. (Read the entire psalm, and you’ll see what I mean.)
I had to stop and think about joy in my life and gratefulness to God. Is God the cause of my gladness and joy or am I too lost in the world? What would give me reason to say that God is the cause of my joy.
God is my Creator and my Sustainer. Without Him I do not exist, I am not even a memory.
Of course, I’m grateful for this, and if I could play a harp, I would use it to thank God for the gift of life.
Joy is entirely different. I used to think of joy as an emotion equivalent to happiness. I am not always happy. Life has been very difficult in the last 10 years. Happiness is elusive, but joy is not, for this reason. Happiness is an emotion. Joy is intellectual.
Joy explodes beyond happiness with faith. Knowing that God is with us through everything, we find our joy in laughter or sorrow.
“So also you now indeed have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you.”
John 16:22
For those who say, “There is no God.” What do we say? Nothing. God is invisible, though His Hand moves through the universe sustaining it, nurturing it. He sustains us and nurtures us. Those who cannot see the invisible. who cannot believe without proof have no answer. We do, and the answer is Faith. There can be no other answer. We accept the things we cannot see, and rest in the knowledge that what has been promised by God will be fulfilled.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:1
This gift of faith should bring us great joy! We should dance to the psalmist’s music and praise God’s holy name. Still don’t feel anything? Don’t worry. Happiness is your emotion. Joy is your faith.
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