Sharing Jesus' joy

John 17 : 11 - 19

.....so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them

In his most beautiful farewell prayer, Jesus indicates the joy that he wants to share with his disciples, and all those who come to believe. These are people like us, who are going to live in the realities of this world, and who are not spared the pains. After the resurrection, the memory of this prayer must have been a real consolation for his disciples, even as they began to receive the gift of Jesus' new presence, and to slowly understand all that had taken place. In his resurrection appearances, he assures the disciples of his 'reality', and abiding presence. And in addition to the "Peace" he grants, he surely brings the gift of "Joy" as well. The disciples are not only surprised, it would seem that they rejoiced with him, sharing in his joy.

It must be like when someone we love shares a triumph with us - and we enter their joy. And even if we do not really have an easy time ourselves, we love them and we rejoice with them, because of the love we share. We have shifted focus from our own inadequacies, from our own needs, to share their joy. I used to wonder - how can one share Jesus' joy - for example if one's life is in confusion and difficulty? I used to think it would be difficult .....but that was from a self- focused perspective. The resurrection calls us to a new life giving relationship with the Lord. Even if we are experiencing difficulties, they do not prevent us from sharing the joy of the one we love. In fact, in that joy of Jesus' triumph, our own difficulties are set into true perspective, they shrink in size. Jesus' joy is 'infectious' if we open ourselves to it. And it can be a "full measure of joy" that we ask for. Sometimes we have to wait a bit for God's gift to be granted, but the waiting itself is a graced time.