An angel of the Lord said to the shepherds:
“Behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.”
Luke 2:10
Some Ideas to Contemplate:
- In this passage from the story of Jesus’s birth by the Gospel Writer called Luke, an angel of God (Higher Power, Supreme Divine Energy, etc.) brings good news that will provide joy. However, the shepherds do not feel the news’s joy until they follow the angel’s guidance (their own intuition) and see baby Jesus, the Christ child.
- Joy, a positive emotion and an element of Advent, the contemplative season that prepares us for Christmas, is palpable energy. It is a deep sense of wellbeing, happiness, and contentment, rooted in our spiritual relationship with God, ourselves, and others. If we are highly sensitive people (HSPs), we may feel joy acutely as an uplifting, warm sensation within our bodies.
- Joy does not deny that conflicts or disorder may occur. Rather, joy connects us to the sense of wellbeing that includes gratitude, contentment, peace, and hope. It also focuses our energy on what we love, so we are open to positive, nourishing, fulfilling experiences.
- Joy enlivens and enriches us, whether we give and receive gifts, declutter our home, cheer for our favorite team, or gaze at the Northern Lights, for example. The joy we feel is not in a thing itself, but in our deep, grounded presence in the experience. This is one reason some people have trouble feeling joyful; they are not present to what is happening within them or around them, so they miss the joy of beholding the Christ (pure soul essence) they bring.
Practices for the Week:
- Set an intention to be grounded in the present.
- Notice what occurs within you and around you in this presence.
- Illustrate, journal, and/or record your daily joys.
You are a spiritual being with a radiant soul, living in a sacred body temple, having human experiences. As Revs. Mary-Alice and Richard Jafolla remind us: “Joy is a part of our true nature.” So rather than seeking joy in outer events, be present and bring your joy with you.
© 2025 – Rev. Jennifer L. Sacks – All rights reserved.
Photo from Shutterstock by Dolores M. Harvey.
