Rejoice in the Lord of Love

Beloved in Christ, 

Rejoice in the Lord, Paul exhorts us in this Sunday’s reading from Philippians. Rejoice always, in fact. That’s a tall order. Sure, I can rejoice when I get what I want, when things go my way, or when I catch a break. But what about rejoicing when things fall apart, when we are soul and bone weary, when we are racked with grief, or when we consider the mounting threats to those already on the margins of our nation and world? Rejoice always? 

We often mistake the spiritual gift of joy for the fleeting feeling of happiness. Happiness is what I feel when things are going well, which, of course, they often do not. Joy, on the other hand, is the gift we receive from being yoked, spirit, mind, and body, to the living God of love. Paul wrote this absurd exhortation from a prison cell, almost certain he was facing his own execution. His joy comes not from how he feels about his situation, but from his sure and certain hope that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead has established forever the fact that love is the most powerful force for healing in the universe. His joy comes from clinging to that Jesus. 

I learned from a wise teacher many years ago that the best way to cultivate joy is to make sure that, at least once every day, our souls, minds, and bodies are all in the same place for a while. If you are doing the dishes, do the dishes. If you are going for a walk, just walk. If you are sitting with your coffee, just sit. Most of the time, we frantically try to avoid life’s pain with distracting anesthesia, which never satisfies our deep longing for true joy. That, it turns out, can only be found by practicing the presence of God, which starts by being really present to your own life, moment by moment, in the pain, in the sorrow, in the gratitude, in the connections, in the mess, in all of it. Great spiritual leaders like Bishop Michael Curry or Archbishop Desmond Tutu inspire and nourish others because of the way they allow God to cultivate joy deep in their hearts. Part of how we serve the world and preach the gospel is by cultivating joy. Always.

In the dark and in the cold of this season, beloved, remember that the current of God’s love is always flowing just under the surface of your life, there for you to drink from on your long journey to sustain you as you work for justice, and wage peace. Rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord of love. Rejoice always. 

Grace and Peace, 

The Right Rev. Craig Loya