Joy: Spiritual Health Made Visible
October 1, 1998
Winston Churchill was not only an inspirational leader against the terror of Nazi Germany, but he was also a humorist. Adolf Hitler had announced at a Nazi rally during the Battle of Britain that Germany would wring England's neck like a helpless chicken. Churchill spoke the next day in Parliament and said that Herr Hitler was in for a big surprise because he would find out that England is "some chicken with some neck." We all know what happened, so we know what a good joke Churchill told, and we now realize that Churchill's words, his cigar, his hat, and his proper London suit were humorous jabs at terrible fears, humor that a nation under siege really needed. As Churchill demonstrated, leaders need to rise above their circumstances, and the spiritual health required is what Christians call joy. Search for the Source
What is the source of the joy that sets us free from fear, that creates solidarity, and that clears our vision? That source is the one who not only created human beings but also enjoys what he made. God is the one with the original sense of humor. And joy has its profoundest source in Jesus Christ the Lord. The surest way to understand the Christian meaning of "joy" is to see how it's used in the New Testament. On the Thursday evening of Holy Week, Jesus speaks about joy with his disciples. True to its inner meaning, joy takes us by surprise. Jesus tells of his impending separation from his disciples; he prepares them for the terror of his trial, his death, and the devastation that stands before him and his followers. Nevertheless, in this dangerous moment he tells them about joy: "You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. … So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts ...
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