In today’s Gospel we read: “I have told you this so that my JOY may be in you and your JOY might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” The perfect formula for JOY is “Jesus, Others, You.”
When you put Jesus first in your life, you stay with him and have the joy he promised his followers. When you are concerned about others, you see their needs, and your heart goes out to them. As we help them spiritually, emotionally, or materially, we can experience a joy unknown to those only concerned about themselves. Sometimes we remember that we haven’t talked to a particular person in a while, or maybe someone we haven’t seen due to the pandemic, or even someone we may have heard was sick. Reach out to them and experience the joy that maybe Jesus is using you to help another.
Put Jesus and Others first and YOU will have Joy!