As a tragic Reds Rugby follower, I recently attended a home game and came away euphoric that my team had managed to land a close win against the Waratahs from Sydney. This feeling of joy slowly dissipated during the week and disappeared completely the following weekend when the Reds were soundly beaten.

As humans we experience the highs and lows of our emotions as we face times of happy and joyous moments followed by times of struggle and pain. It can seem that we are riding a rollercoaster, one minute elated and the next down in the doldrums. While we use the word ‘joy’ to describe these passing moments of excitement and jubilation, Jesus has something else in mind when he talks of the joy that no one can take from you.

Jesus promises a joy that won’t dissipate or disappear, yet he recognises that our lives are filled with pain, distress, weeping and mourning. How can this be? Pope Francis tells us that ‘If we are truly in love with Christ and if we sense how much he loves us, our heart will light up with a joy that spreads to everyone around us.’

Our joy is not dependent on our circumstances but rather cultivated by a grateful heart that rejoices, not just in friendship with God but in and through Christ we become sons and daughters of the Creator of the universe, the greatest gift we could ever receive.

Today, let us shout for joy, singing praises to the God who loves us into eternity.

By Mike Humphrys