The readings today leave us no choice but to recognize the call of the Church to rejoice. We read:

“Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel!” (The prophet Zephaniah, ch. 3)

“Cry out with joy and gladness!” (The prophet Isaiah, ch. 12)

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” (St. Paul to the Philippians, ch. 4)

The Scriptures and the Church do not merely suggest rejoicing. The Bible does not just exhort us to be joyful. Rejoicing is not a mere proposal but a command. Paul, in particular, charges us to rejoice. To the Thessalonians he left the instruction “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”   And in his letter to the Romans, he commands that they “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

The Old Testament provides numerous examples of the requirement to rejoice, particularly in the Psalms. Psalm 33 reads: “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright… Sing to the Lord a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.” Our responsorial psalm for today, taken from the Prophet Isaiah, tells us to “Cry out with joy and gladness.”

It seems that joyfulness is not merely a pleasant byproduct or a garnish on the gift of faith, but rather, rejoicing is an integral part of God’s will for us.

Rejoicing has always been a characteristic of Christians. The early Christians rejoiced in their fellowship, their worship, and their shared life in Christ. “Day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people.” (Acts 2:46-47) The sacraments are a source of great joy for the Church. The word Eucharist itself is derived from a Greek word meaning “thanksgiving.” Baptism, Confirmation, and each of the other sacraments are celebrations of God’s love and causes for joy.

The Mass, the Church’s public worship, is a profound expression of rejoicing. Through the liturgy, we join with the angels and saints in heaven in praising God. The hymns, prayers, and rituals of the Mass are all designed to lift our hearts in joyful worship.

For me, and perhaps for some of you, being commanded to be joyful might seem strange and even off-putting. After all, we can’t be commanded to fall in love with a specific person. While we can be encouraged to support one another, it’s not something we would be commanded to do. So why is the command to be joyful any different? 

Joy is used in two ways in Catholic theology. First, it can refer to the emotion of joy, which is when we experience obtaining whatever good thing we desire and is on the level of our feelings. You might call this type of joy ‘delight’. It’s an emotion, part of our bodily nature and our passions and our feelings, but also the foundation for us to understand a higher kind of joy.

On the other hand, joy is also used to describe the supernatural, spiritual quality of the love of God, joy that flows from the love of God poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  Joy, as an emotion, arises from obtaining some earthly good. This joy is perfected when we attain the greatest good, which is God. It is essential to recognize the goodness of God. “You shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you” (Deuteronomy 26:11). Joy in the heart of the creature corresponds to goodness in the heart of the Creator. Joy is the fitting response in the receiver to the goodness of the Giver.

This experience of joy is an act of divine love whereby we experience possessing the supreme good and experience it, not on the level of our sensations or emotions, but with the conviction of the choice of our will. This joy is not subject to passing events or our moods. But it is subject to the state of our power of free choice, that is, our will. We choose to love God, and we love our neighbor. And in the choice of loving God, we experience our soul coming to rest and finding joy in the love of God. We choose to participate in the joy of the Church, of the Saints.

To hear that joy is not optional lands on some ears with promise and hope. If joy is essential, then it must mean that joy is possible.

But to some, it lands on their shoulders as an additional burden. Rejoicing in suffering is perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of our faith. Those among  us suffering from major depression, or grieving, or illness may feel guilty that they are not fulfilling the commandment to be joyful.

These heavy burdens can make the idea of rejoicing seem impossible. However, even in the depths of despair, there are compelling reasons to seek joy. First, joy is a gift from God that transcends our circumstances. It is not dependent on how we feel but on the unchanging nature of God’s love and promises. Second, rejoicing can be a powerful act of faith and defiance against the darkness. By choosing to rejoice, even when it feels unnatural, we affirm our trust in God’s goodness and his ultimate victory over all suffering.

Lastly, joy has a healing effect on our hearts and minds. It can lift our spirits, provide hope, and remind us that we are not alone in our struggles. Rejoicing, therefore, is not just a response to feeling good but a vital practice that can help us navigate through the darkest times. Rejoicing is a profound and transformative state that goes beyond temporary happiness and pleasure, rooted in a deep relationship with God and can be experienced even in times of suffering through acts of love, charity, and self-surrender.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice.” Live out Paul’s charge in your life. Strive to live lives filled with joy, not just for our own sake but as a testament to the transformative power of God’s love. Use this Advent season to experience the profound joy that comes from knowing and loving God, and let this joy radiate outward to touch the lives of those around you.