{"id":2047,"date":"2022-11-05T10:45:34","date_gmt":"2022-11-05T10:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/?p=2047"},"modified":"2022-11-05T11:27:34","modified_gmt":"2022-11-05T11:27:34","slug":"the-spirit-of-joy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/2022\/11\/05\/the-spirit-of-joy\/","title":{"rendered":"The Spirit of Joy"},"content":{"rendered":"

We members of the Institute of the Incarnate Word want to be characterized and stand out by living in \u201ccontagious joy.\u201d[1]<\/a> That joy that is \u201cthe fruit of the Holy Spirit and the effect of charity\u201d[2]<\/a> and that is born from considering that \u201cGod is infinite joy.\u201d[3]<\/a> That is the good news<\/em>, the great joy<\/em>[4]<\/a>\u2014a consequence of the Incarnation\u2014that, with our lives, we want to announce to the whole world. This is our proclamation: that with the coming to the world of the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us<\/em>, \u201ctruth prevails over lies, good over evil, beauty over ugliness, love over hate, peace over war, mercy over vengeance, life over death, grace over sin… in short, being over nothingness, the Virgin over Satan, Christ over the Antichrist, God over all.\u201d[5]<\/a><\/p>\n

For this reason, we members of the Institute of the Incarnate Word desire to \u201ctry to live out the essence of the Kingdom that Jesus Christ came to inaugurate on earth: The kingdom of God is\u2026 righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit<\/em> (Rom 14:17).\u201d[6]<\/a> That is, we make use of all means so that \u201cnobody may be disturbed or grieved in the house of God,\u201d[7]<\/a> and we strive to bear with patience the weaknesses of our brothers, both bodily and spiritual; by seeking the good of others before our own; ultimately, by putting sincere fraternal love into practice. For we are convinced that, without charity, there cannot be authentic joy. And \u201ca fraternity without joy is a fraternity that fades away.\u201d[8]<\/a><\/p>\n

Joy is \u201cthe Christian\u2019s gigantic secret,\u201d[9]<\/a> and it is also our loud secret. In a special way, the Paschal Mystery of our Lord is an inexhaustible source of spirituality. His Passion, His Death, His descent into hell, His Resurrection, illuminate our lives.[10]<\/a> Therefore, joy is an essential element of Christian spirituality, and it is so in our spirituality too.[11]<\/a> Because of this, our constant petition is that God would give us the grace to \u201cbe experts in the wisdom of the cross, in the love of the cross, and in the joy of the cross,\u201d[12]<\/a> for we are aware that the suffering of the cross is the necessary and unavoidable condition for the glory of the Resurrection. Jesus did not deceive us; He told us clearly, You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy<\/em>,[13]<\/a> and He assured us, I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you<\/em>.[14]<\/a> Because true joy, the serene and profound joy that is maintained in spite of difficulties and even \u201cin sufferings,\u201d[15]<\/a> is precisely that which is born from the cross[16]<\/a>: \u201cthe cross of the humility of reason in the face of mystery; the cross of the will in the faithful fulfillment of all moral, natural, and revealed law; the cross of one\u2019s own arduous, and at times less than gratifying, duty; the cross of patience in illness and in everyday difficulties; the cross of the tireless zeal to respond to our own vocation; and the cross of the struggle against the passions and attacks of evil.\u201d[17]<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cOnly the one who is joyful in love is truly joyful: \u2018Where charity is joyful, there is festivity.\u2019 Therefore, there is no greater motive for joy than the Resurrection of the Lord because His triumph is our triumph, His victory is our victory.\u201d[18]<\/a> Hence, it is very characteristic of us to \u201cappropriately celebrate the great solemnities, especially the Octave of Easter, Sundays, and the feast days of Our Lady and of the Apostles.\u201d[19]<\/a> Furthermore, in our communities, we have weekly \u201canother kind of minor feast: recreation,\u201d[20]<\/a> and we have to say that, in our humble experience, our testimony of community joy has given rise and gives rise to an enormous attraction toward religious life. In fact, it is a source of new vocations and is a support for our perseverance.[21]<\/a><\/p>\n

Therefore, even if we have to sow in tears, since our joy is \u201cspiritual and supernatural,\u201d[22]<\/a> we know that we must \u201crejoice always and in everything\u201d[23]<\/a> and conserve and cultivate the joy of evangelizing.[24]<\/a> For, in the end, we are \u201cfollowers of the Risen One,\u201d[25]<\/a> and, in truth, \u201cthe only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint.\u201d[26]<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

[1]<\/a> Constitutions<\/em>, 231.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Ibid., 95.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a>Directory of Spirituality<\/em>, 210, quoting Saint Teresa of the Andes, Letters<\/em>, 101.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Lk 2:10.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Directory of Spirituality<\/em>, 210.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Constitutions<\/em>, 93.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> Ibid., 95, quoting Saint Benedict, Holy Rule<\/em>, 31.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> Directorio de Vida Fraterna<\/em>, 40; our translation.<\/p>\n

[9]<\/a> Directory of Spirituality<\/em>, 204; the phrase is G. K. Chesterton\u2019s.<\/p>\n

[10]<\/a> Constitutions<\/em>, 42.<\/p>\n

[11]<\/a> Directory of Spirituality<\/em>, 203.<\/p>\n

[12]<\/a> Constitutions<\/em>, 42.<\/p>\n

[13]<\/a> Jn 16:20.<\/p>\n

[14]<\/a> Jn 16:22.<\/p>\n

[15]<\/a> Directory of Spirituality<\/em>, 207.<\/p>\n

[16]<\/a> Cf. Directory of Spirituality<\/em>, 145.<\/p>\n

[17]<\/a> Ibid., 142, quoting Saint John Paul II, \u201cHomily in Saint Thomas Parish,\u201d at Castel Gandolfo, September 15, 1991; OR (9\/20\/1991) Spanish Edition.<\/p>\n

[18]<\/a> Directory of Spirituality<\/em>, 212, quoting Saint John Chrysostom, quoted by Josef Pieper, Una Teor\u00eda de la Fiesta<\/em>, Madrid 1974, 33.<\/p>\n

[19]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n

[20]<\/a> Ibid., 213.<\/p>\n

[21]<\/a> Cf. Directorio de Vida Fraterna<\/em>, 41.<\/p>\n

[22]<\/a> Ibid., 204; our translation.<\/p>\n

[23]<\/a> Ibid., 205; our translation.<\/p>\n

[24]<\/a> Directorio de Misiones Ad Gentes<\/em>, 144; cf. Evangelii Nuntiandi<\/em>, 80.<\/p>\n

[25]<\/a> Directory of Spirituality<\/em>, 208.<\/p>\n

[26]<\/a> Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate<\/em>, 34, quoting Le\u00f3n Bloy, La femme pauvre<\/em>, Paris, II, 27.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We members of the Institute of the Incarnate Word want to be characterized and stand out by living in \u201ccontagious joy.\u201d[1] That joy that is \u201cthe fruit of the Holy Spirit and the effect of charity\u201d[2] and that is born from considering that \u201cGod is infinite joy.\u201d[3] That is the good news, the great joy[4]\u2014a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[274],"tags":[36,66,102,63,276,48,47,54,99,60,62],"class_list":["post-2047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-non-negotiables","tag-charity","tag-cross","tag-holy-spirit","tag-joy","tag-non-negotiables","tag-priests","tag-religious","tag-spirituality","tag-suffering","tag-testimony","tag-virgin-mary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2047"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2049,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047\/revisions\/2049"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}