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Part Two
At eventide, a man attired in the dress of heavy work stood before the door of his small house and knocked at the door. As it opened, he entered and greeted the occupants in a cheerful manner, and then sat between his children who were playing at the fireplace. In a short time, his wife had the meal prepared and they sat at a wooden table consuming their food. After eating they gathered around the oil lamp and talked of the day's events. When the early night had lapsed, all stood silently and surrendered themselves to the King of Slumber with a song of praise and a prayer of gratitude on their lips.
*A Tear and a Smile.
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Though joy arises naturally from within, this does not mean we cannot do something to encourage this arising. Anything we do in kindness, for example, invites joy to show itself; the act agrees with the nature of joy and, so, the Source of joy and kindness. Yet, we do not act kindly to get joy, anymore than one is to love another to feel loved. The action incorporates an intent to bless the other, regardless of result for the other or oneself. Self-emptying, whereby the self extends itself in action, invites giver and receiver equally into the grace of joy.
Joy, then, is not the result of anything we do, only that what we do, in agreement with Grace, can stimulate Grace to express itself and, so, manifest the fruition Itself. Hence, in contemplation, we do not enter silence to seek joy, but to welcome communion with That in which joy coinheres with all other graces, Spirit being wherein all graces are a single being. Joy arises in the self-emptying, which is the self surrendering itself into Life. Hence, silent meditation is for learning in this self-giving, to live in this manner among others; herein, the self is the proximate cause for joy - Spirit is always the ultimate cause for joy.
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Grace, by our consent, silently transforms our disposition to receive the inflow of bliss. Joy is not something added to our natural way of being. Joy is our natural way of being. Joy feels right, for it is innate. Misery feels wrong, for it is not our natural way. The return to Spirit is the return to joy.
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Jesus, in the Gospel of John 15.11, teaching his followers before leaving them: "I have shared these words with you that my joy might be in you, and your joy be full." There is, then, a direct relationship in aligning with truth and living joyfully. If we choose to live in alignment with reality, we know joy. Otherwise, we are like someone in a river trying to turn the current in the opposite direction. Truth is wisdom: insight into how Life flows. So, joy arises when thought or action is in agreement with the Way.
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Many persons find immense joy in devotional spirituality. Some of my most joyful moments have been in worship alone and, also, with others. The Psalmist, in Psalm 16.11, speaks of this gladsome relationship with the Divine:
You show me the path of life;
in your presence is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures on-and-on.
Worship of the Other is another means to connect with the joy within us. There are two reasons for this joyfulness in worship. First, in true worship, one transcends the self, giving the self into the Whole. Another reason is this self-giving is for one enters into a love relationship with the Unseen One. Where love flows, joy flows.
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©️ Brian Wilcox, 2020
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