EVANGELII GAUDIUM - page 6

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victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he
will renew you in his love; he will exult over you
with loud singing, as on a day of festival” (3:17).
This is the joy which we experience daily,
amid the little things of life, as a response to the
loving invitation of God our Father: “My child,
treat yourself well, according to your means…
Do not deprive yourself of the day’s enjoyment”
(
Sir
14:11, 14). What tender paternal love echoes
in these words!
5. The Gospel, radiant with the glory of
Christ’s cross, constantly invites us to rejoice. A
few examples will suffice. “Rejoice!” is the an-
gel’s greeting to Mary (
Lk
1:28). Mary’s visit to
Elizabeth makes John leap for joy in his moth-
er’s womb (cf.
Lk
1:41). In her song of praise,
Mary proclaims: “My spirit rejoices in God my
Saviour” (
Lk
1:47). When Jesus begins his min-
istry, John cries out: “For this reason, my joy has
been fulfilled” (
Jn
3:29). Jesus himself “rejoiced
in the Holy Spirit” (
Lk
10:21). His message
brings us joy: “I have said these things to you,
so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy
may be complete” (
Jn
15:11). Our Christian joy
drinks of the wellspring of his brimming heart.
He promises his disciples: “You will be sorrow-
ful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (
Jn
16:20).
He then goes on to say: “But I will see you again
and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will
take your joy from you” (
Jn
16:22). The disci-
ples “rejoiced” (
Jn
20:20) at the sight of the risen
Christ. In the Acts of the Apostles we read that
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