Today’s reading from the Bible highlights two themes: joy and the Holy Spirit. Joy is so strongly emphasized in the readings that this Sunday is sometimes called Gaudete Sunday, “Rejoice Sunday!” Isaiah the prophet can’t wait to tell of his joy in announcing the good news of salvation to the community. The prophet speaks to a community battered by exile, poverty, and community strife.
We need to hear more about this kind of joy. Though many would be surprised, joy is an important Christian virtue. The Bible views it as a gift of God. St. Paul regards it is a sign of the presence of the holy spirit. Advent is a good time to reflect on joy, for Advent means the coming of Christ, which is characterized by joy.
Another reason for devoting attention to joy is that it is indispensable in authentic Christian discernment. “Discernment” means “the ability to judge well.” Joy is key to finding a person’s deep-seated and personal reaction to daily reality. In recent years, some wise people have studied discernment, especially discernment about vocation in a broad and non-necessarily religious sense. The same people, mostly in college and universities, are worried that students see their studies only as providing them the skills needed to make money; they don’t think about their personal growth and the contribution they could make to the common good. The teachers ask students to identify their personal strengths and gifts and reflect on how their gifts may serve the world’s needs.
The late Father Michael Himes, a professor at Boston College, was especially eager that people reflect on their vocation. Father Himes asked people three questions: 1) What gives you joy? 2) Is this vocation, role, or profession you are considering something you are good at? 3) Does anyone need you to do it?
The First Question: What gives you joy? distinguishes between happiness, often dependent on external and temporary factors like health and friends, and joy. Joy is deeper, pulling us out of ourselves and expanding our horizons. The Second Question: Are you any good at it? You may want to be a professional singer, but can’t sing in tune. Some things you can do well. Prize the talents you discover in yourself. The Third Question: Does anybody need you to do it? The theologian Frederick Buechner puts the answer this way: Vocation is “The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” You may not answer them today, but you can let them be abiding questions, and that’s discernment.