Weekly Virtue: Joyfulness

As we enter the third week of Advent, I am hoping you are enjoying this season we are in and not getting overwhelmed. With this season comes stress and pressure. Stop and think who is causing the stress and pressure. I think we often put this stress and pressure on ourselves. Take a step back and look around. Do not let the hustle and bustle of preparing for Christmas take away from the joy of what is around you.

This week we light the third advent candle, the candle of Joy. This candle is pink and beautiful. This candle is not beautiful because of its color, it is beautiful because of its meaning. Think of your lives, and what brings you the most joy. Think of the season we are in and the joy that is coming into the world.

Joyfulness is defined as feeling, causing, or showing great happiness

As a mother, I so often turn to Mary for comfort, strength, and healing. She too knows what it is like to raise a child. I think of Mary as she is riding into Bethlehem pregnant and full of so many emotions. She was about to have a baby. She was about to bring into this world the Savior. I am thinking she was feeling many different things. She may have been feeling fear about having a baby. She may have been feeling nervous for did she really know what all agreeing to have God's only son would mean for her? And for Jesus? But one feeling I am sure she felt was Joy. She had this baby in a manger. The love she felt for Him can not be put into words. The Joy she felt as she holds her son. And for a little while she got to hold onto that joy so tight and enjoy Jesus just to herself with Joseph before she had to share Him with the world.

This week let us live our lives with great joy, great happiness. Let our joy shine through our actions and our lives. And let us give special attention and time to what brings us the most joy.

JOY TO THE WORLD THE LORD HAS COME!