In 2010, God gave me the goal of my diaconate ministry: to bring peace and joy to all I meet. This book manifests the fruit of my submission to God's will on joy. It describes how we can achieve joy through the soul's three faculties: will to do good, mind to know the truth, and heart to love.
The function of the will is to do good, and we desire goodness. When we are co-creators with God to make the world a better place for one person at a time to the best of our abilities, we are joyful in the will, and therefore, are joyful in living. The function of the mind is to know the truth. Since Christ is the Truth, to know God is to know joy: His blessings, righteousness, love, encouragement, perseverance, and faithfulness. Joy in the heart is based on the Law of the Gift of self. In a relationship we receive joy in the heart when we become one with another as in marriage when the two lovers become one. Since God loves us more than we can ever imagine, joy in the heart is to become with one God. He loves us so much that He wants us to be one with Him for all eternity in heaven.
Joy is not merely happiness; rather, I contend that it is the realization of supreme happiness. Christ is the only true source of our joy. When we are one with Him and His mission to save souls, we receive joy in the will, mind, and heart. Joy is a choice, and not always an easy one; but as we reflect on it together, I hope it is a choice which you will take with me.