THE JOY OF SALVATION
Readings: Baruch 5:1-9; Phil 1:4-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6
“If you have no joy in your religion, there’s a leak in your Christianity somewhere” - W. A Sunday -
Joy is distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing. It is the reverse of happiness. Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort. Joy has its spring down inside, and that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens. Only Jesus gives that joy. He had joy, singing its music within, even under the shadow of the cross. It is an unknown word and thing except as he has sway within.
Awaiting for Christ so that he may reveal himself and make his presence felt in a new way giving us an intense experience of the joy of salvation. That joy does not come to us by lighting a Christmas light, balloons, cards and planting “father Christmas” at the gates of supermarkets. Salvation is free, yes, but it is not cheap. We have to work for it; breaking the chains we have bound ourselves with moments in our lives that render our hearts as incapable of even seeing the salvation.
What are these things that block us from being saved in order to welcome the messiah? Selfishness which stops us from doing a kind act, the resentment that blocks communication, the falsehood that betrays trust, the pride that preludes true regard of others, and the communal prejudice that can destroy a society. John the Baptist reiterates Isaiah’s message “make ready the way of the Lord and clear him a straight path” (Luke 3:4).
The joy of salvation is not the private property of any Christian; but dividing your joy with others. You can’t consume joy without producing it. We can do this by promoting justice in our small Christian communities, local church and in the world. (Peace of justice Bar 5:2, 4); so that “all mankind shall see the salvation of God” Luke 3:6.
It’s our duty to promote the gospel message so that the entire world “may be found rich in the harvest of justice which Christ has ripened in us” (Phil 1:11). Thus the rough ways, the twisted roads and the steep paths are to be negotiable for he is coming.
Examine your hope! How deep is it? We can be content with what the world has to offer, and forget all about heaven. We can trust our abilities to the extent of excluding assistance. Think of a modern state. If you have a good civil service, good judiciary, and good security force, faithful husband and wife of substance and good citizens, generally speaking and there you will see a strong nation. God’s kingdom grows deep by faith, hope and love.
Prayer is another aspect to examine. Do you still pray? But there are times when your “AMEN” or any other response is so faint that you wonder whether you are praying! Private prayer has not lost its importance. In fact community and public prayers will be difficult if it is not nourished by private prayer. Do I pray? How often? How well? Try to be virtuous in the world today and you will be called a coward! Because you are fair and just to everyone, because you are respectful and obedient, because you love purity and chastity, you will be called, over prudent, immaculate etc. And this is what it must be for the kingdom of heaven as violence, and it is the courageous who acquire it.
“The supreme happiness of life is the conviction of being loved for yourself, or more correctly, of being loved of yourself”
- Victor Hugo
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Padre Joseph Nyamunga Mubiru
P.O.BOX 15318-00509
NAIROBI-KENYA
BLOG: http://nyamusus.blogspot.com/
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