6
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 festivalâ (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: âMy child,
treat yourself well, according to your meansâ¦
Do not deprive yourself of the dayâs enjoymentâ
(
Sir
14:11, 14). What tender paternal love echoes
in these words!
5.âThe Gospel, radiant with the glory of
Christâs cross, constantly invites us to rejoice. A
few examples will suffice. âRejoice!â is the an-
gelâs greeting to Mary (
Lk
1:28). Maryâs visit to
Elizabeth makes John leap for joy in his moth-
erâs womb (cf.
Lk
1:41). In her song of praise,
Mary proclaims: âMy spirit rejoices in God my
Saviourâ (
Lk
1:47). When Jesus begins his min-
istry, John cries out: âFor this reason, my joy has
been fulfilledâ (
Jn
3:29). Jesus himself ârejoiced
in the Holy Spiritâ (
Lk
10:21). His message
brings us joy: âI have said these things to you,
so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy
may be completeâ (
Jn
15:11). Our Christian joy
drinks of the wellspring of his brimming heart.
He promises his disciples: âYou will be sorrow-
ful, but your sorrow will turn into joyâ (
Jn
16:20).
He then goes on to say: âBut I will see you again
and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will
take your joy from youâ (
Jn
16:22). The disci-
ples ârejoicedâ (
Jn
20:20) at the sight of the risen
Christ. In the Acts of the Apostles we read that