The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord let His face shine upon you and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! (Numbers 6:24-25) We have heard these beautiful words at the beginning of each New Year, yet we quickly...
During my childhood, I was exposed to dancing on television because of my parents’ love of the Ed Sullivan Show. They also took me to the theater for a rendition of the Broadway musical Carousel when I was about seven. I can’t say I enjoyed the show...
In a way, Zaccheus had it much easier than we. He knew viscerally that something was amiss; that’s why he had decided to go and see who Jesus was. He was so determined to see Jesus that he disregarded decorum by running and by climbing a sycamore...
The feast of the nativity of St John the Baptist is certainly characterised by joy, which the Latin word for it is gaudium. Interestingly enough we are not talking about felicitas, happiness, but gaudium, joy. The collect for the Mass during...
The most common word found in birthday cards is “special.” Happy Birthday to a special girl, a special boy, a special (fill in the blank). It is up to the person sending the birthday card to make the person celebrating his/her birthday feel special...
Brace yourselves for a huge understatement: every single human being who ever existed, exists or will exist has happiness as his/her ultimate aspiration. After a moment of reflection, some might wonder: “What about those who kill themselves; those...
When we suffer trials and tribulations, we don’t feel joyous. In fact, we experience anything but joy. We may be in panic mode or simply a state of trying to survive. It is interesting to me that the Bible includes more than 500 references to joy...
The 18th century Austrian composer, Joseph Haydn, was once asked why his church music was so cheerful and he replied: “When I think upon God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap, as it were, from my pen, and since God...
