I am reminded to be a joyful soul and nothing, a joyful consecrated Catholic hermit!
This is not easy. I'm depleted with suffering. The nausea continues, but I tried reintroducing such as well-cooked oatmeal to the system, this morning. I have no idea if the nerves will send the proper messages to the intestines. Am continuing with prayers for people with horrible conditions, such as Crohn's Disease and various other ailments that go on and on but are not necessarily terminal.
The longevity of intense suffering debilitates without a more specific time frame, sooner, of passing from the trial of pain and on to the next life, leaving the physical body behind and, entering into His Real Presence for all eternity.
Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, but also it is an attitude that may or may not express itself on the exterior of a person's affect, voice, or even sometimes in the interior thoughts that can intermittently struggle to seem "joyful." As in all fruit, there is a process of being given the fruit, but also of our appreciating and enjoying the fruit and utilizing the fruit given.
Pray for the gift of joy!
We ought share the fruit or consume it, take a bite--enjoy the full flavor, texture, beauty, health and other benefits of the fruit we are given. So the benefit of being given joy as a fruit of the Spirit includes our interaction with joy, our recognition, acceptance, and some type of effort in perpetuating the joy in our daily lives.
I'm asking the Holy Spirit to help me with these considerations, the interactions of my mind, heart, and soul with this gift called "joy". Insights on joy, appreciation of joy, utilizing and promoting joy within my being, whether or not joy is noticed or considered an attribute by others, of my life. The Lord is my judge, and the Holy Spirit my source of all fruits of the spirit possible and given, of which joy is a major gift.
There is temporal joy; there is spiritual joy. I must remember the two categories, so to speak, of joy, but the spiritual joy being beyond and greater than any temporal joy--joyous are temporal joys that give us the loving earthly feelings we associate with joy. Spiritual joy is deep and profound; spiritual joy, unseen, is what sustains us regardless of feelings, recognizable thoughts or events. Spiritual joy steeps, nurtures, and inspires, as the Holy Spirit infuses joy within our souls.
I've been looking forward to joining the heavenly realm of all the saints, of seeing again and being with my ancestors, particularly this morning my mother and father in my thoughts. I have called out to each of them, my thankfulness for their love and care, for bringing me into this world and providing so many opportunities--and I recognize their pain when what looked to be a life of giftedness and talent, became one of temporal suffering and limitations.
But the mind, heart, and soul are given in the Holy Spirit, the means to fly in hope, love, and charity in God--beyond the hindrances that can physically tether. From across the veil, I heard my dad tell me a little bit ago: "Hold down the fort!"
I had not thought of this one of his many aphorisms, the common phrases of which his repertoire was unusually full. He is reminding me to persevere, to remain steadfast, to protect the fortress of mind, heart, and soul against the enemy. Hearing his voice is in itself a joy, and the reminder of something so distinctively of his sayings encourages me to try to get up and attempt to get kitchen counter ready, if my pain level and nausea can manage, for rolling out the Springerle cookie dough.
There is a joy in simply trying. And there is a joy that comes from His Living Word, of which the following selection of a few verses in Psalm 103 evoke joy in the very exaltation to bless the Lord for His many gifts and blessings to us!
"Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits.
"He pardons all your inequities,
He heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
He crowns you with kindness and compassion.
"Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does He requite us according to our crimes.
~ Ps. 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10
Joy must be my holy word with the Lord my God, of this day. Hold down the fort, ye Joyful Hermit!
Share the joy of Christ within, give joy to whomever in prayer and in words, and keep joy always!
God bless His Real Presence in us!
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