The True Joy we cling to

Joyful Receptivity. I think that my knee-jerk reaction to that is an eye roll. I have never really considered myself joyful, I am pretty content being a glass-half-empty kind of girl. I tend to see the bad in the world and my heart aches for something new. I think this is what continually calls me back to Christ. He is a reminder that with all the very real sorrows of this world there is always good. I take on the risk of sounding strange saying this but I love the crucifixion, I love the cross. I love it so much I have a tattoo of a cross on my wrist. I’ve been told my whole life that Jesus was the Son of God, a Man without sin. If anyone should be exempt from the pain of this world it is Him. The cross was gruesome and hard and painful but Jesus entered into that mess out of Love for us.

As I’ve transitioned to motherhood, I am always astounded by Mary. That anyone could do parenthood and remain sinless is absolutely beyond comprehension to me. When I think of the Cross she is now where my contemplating goes. What pain she must have felt seeing her baby on the cross. I wonder if she had known that pain at the annunciation when the angel asked her to bear the Son of God if she would have hesitated a little. I would have. I don’t think anyone would blame her or be upset if she did all she could to avoid that outcome. She could have hidden Jesus away, she could have said no altogether.

As I continue to think about the cost of being receptive to the Holy Spirit and the Lord’s will for us I don’t think we are called to be continually happy, in fact, if Jesus and Mary, and many other saints are examples, we will experience times of immense sorrow and tragedy. But it is because of that suffering we have the resurrection and eternal life. That is the joy that we are clinging to.
 
// Alexis Duffy, Director of Catechesis