Thursday of the 5th Week of Easter: Reflection by Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 

THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL

Image from: https://www.cfcsfl.org/finding-true-happiness-in-god/

(John 15:9-11)

This is the will of God for you: Full joy, that you may be joyful.

Jesus speaks to us today to instil His joy in us in order to complete, perfect and realize full joy in us.

He sees us wearing fake smiles. He sees us covering up a lot of things. He sees us hiding our real feelings in a world filled with sorrowful mysteries. Jesus sees the packaging and pretentious garments we put on. He knows that all is not well. He sees beyond the physical and encounters us where we most look like Him in the spiritual realm. He knows the unknown about us. He sees the unseen about us. He knows the fears we are handling within us. He knows the enemies we are battling with and yet we keep living. He sees how cold and lonely we feel just as Adam in the Eden garden. He comes to complete the incomplete in us, the imperfect in us He wishes to perfect.

Dear Child of God, a lot of things in us are not as they should be. Many things around us are not as we expect them to be. Certain things we wished are not what we have in reality. Jesus tells us how to complete what is lacking.

Remain in God's love. That's the instructions He gives. What it entails is that we should know that God loves us, no matter how the situation may be.  Yes, He is the only One that can fill the gap, the emptiness and the longing in us. Look up to God's love in the insecurity we face in our country today. Only God can give you full and lasting joy in your spouse, Him alone can give you your own life partner. God alone can give meaning to your vocation and your profession even when men have written you off. You're more than that force that wants to keep you sad, you must be glad. You're more than that person that makes you feel unloved, you're loved. You're greater than that joy killer, you've got a joy booster in the Lord.

Offer your little joy to the Lord, that it may be increased. Hand over your joyless life to God, He will give you abundant joy. May God give you the joy the world cannot give.

LET US PRAY

Oh God, we thank You for Your Holy will for us. We thank You for being our only source of joy in a world that gives us no reason to be happy. May Your joy be our strength. Bless us to remain in the remembrance that You Love us so much and grant that we may remain in that love that perfects our joy and not the worldly love that steals it. Bless us today and always through Christ our Lord. Amen

God bless your Thursday (Easter, Week 5)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh