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Since our book is entitled,
The Book of Joy, we have devoted mu
ch of our discussion to seeking to better understand the meaning of joy and how it differs from happiness. While we considered several definitions, we concluded that joy or happiness (take your choice) is in the eye of the beholder! What became clear is that what we are seeking is to be able to have a sense of inner peace that does not desert us even in the most trying of times. And so we move deeper into the book.
The next Section is: Days 2 and 3 Obstacles to Joy
The first three chapters under this heading are entitled: Fear, Stress, and Anxiety; Frusration and Anger; and Sadness and Grief. Certainly, these are not definitions of joy! Rather, through the lives of the Dahli and the ArchBishop, we learn of the circumstances in their lives and ministry which have both challenged and shaped their response of joy to the events of their lives.
In his book, 5 Lessons From the Book of Joy, Keith Edwards, PhD writes:A topic that has interested me more and more, particularly its connection to fighting for injustice, is anger. In The Book of Joy we are reminded that anger is a secondary emotion, usually with fear, hurt, pain, and injustice underlying the anger. If you work at dissipating the anger but the underlying emotions remain, your efforts will be futile. I've resonated with Robert Thurman and Sharon Salzberg differentiating between anger of resentment and retaliation and the anger of fierce compassion. In The Book of Joy they describe righteous anger as anger that is chosen in support of others and a tool of justice and compassion as opposed to a reactive emotion that is about the self.
"He who is not angry, whereas he has cause to be, sins. For unreasonable patience is the hotbed of many vices, it fosters negligence, and incites not only the wicked but the good to do wrong."
John Chrysostom 349-407, Archbishop of Constantinople
Heavy stuff to chew on and we shall have a deeper look into anger through these next chapters.
For our meeting this week, I encourage you to read as much of the first three chapters at the beginning of Day 2 and 3 as you can.
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t is our hope, that as we are invited into the joy that these two amazing men share in their relationship, we also will live more into joy as these men have and as Jesus did. "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11
Since I post this study on Face Book as well as the St Jerome's website, I invite comments and questions from any of you who are not able to be physically with us, but find this study meaningful and would like to be a part of it. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] jocomes from withiny that e .
Bless you all,
Fr Colin Kelly
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