To be filled with the joy of Jesus is an experience like no other. For it is a joy unmistakably from Him, and only Him. There is no uncertainty as to whether it comes from someone or anywhere else. This is the beauty of Our Lord. He gives ultimate clarity, ultimate certainty, ultimate peace, so we know something to be His Truth and His Will. I am not speaking of the “truth” in the kind we speak of in our world where truth is relative, but the ultimate “Truth”, to which there can be no disproving it, no denying it. This is because this Truth comes from Our Creator, Our Redeemer. So when He speaks His Truth, His Will to our heart, there is no uncertainty. There is only peace that comes from Our Almighty God. And if you’ve experienced God’s peace, you know it. There is no uncertainty as to whether you’ve experienced God’s peace or not.
And now back to the joy of Jesus. It is quite a sweet and all-encompassing feeling. It is from heaven, so this joy is greater than anyone could receive from the things of this world. At times the joy Jesus gives me feels as though it permeates my whole being, as if each cell in my body is radiating with His love. There is so much pure love from Jesus in me when He feels me with His joy, it is as if He is purifying the sins of pride and self-love which I still hold in my heart, and at the same time letting me experience His complete goodness and infinite, unconditional love for me and all humanity. How good is Our God! How amazing, loving and merciful is He! For even in the process of forgiveness and purification, He feels me with joy! A joy that I can barely contain! In my heart, I see Him and Our Holy Mother looking down on me with love. I lament on how even in following His Will, I have done so imperfectly. In return, they only love me more! They show me how when I followed His Will, He was pleased in that I had denied my passions to do what He asked of me, in the things I chose to give up and the sacrifices I made. There was no attention on the imperfections I lamented on earlier. Only love, only joy.
After this encounter and the intense joy subsides, I remain in great peace. There is a calmness I feel that is unmistakably from Him. I go about my day knowing He loves me always, forever. He sees my desire to love Him, to serve Him. I know that He will continue to ask more of me, to sacrifice more, for I know it is because He wants to give me more of His joy. And it is only through emptying of ourselves and denying our earthly passions that we can make more room for Him.
May Jesus draw us all to His Most Sacred Heart more and more each day. May the love of Mary and Her Most Immaculate Heart be our protector and guide to Her Son’s Sacred Heart where true heavenly joy is found and the peace that sustains us through all is given to us there.
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