Do we have to be joyful?

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As Catholics, do our attitudes always have to be joyful?

I’m not really the joyful type.
 
“In everything give thanks for this is the will of Christ Jesus concerning you.” I have to work on this one too and there have been times I can’t stand being around cheerful people because I am naturally a grouch… but as in many other things I need to work on this one.
 
St. Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice!”

We don’t have to be happy happy all the time laughing all day as idiots, but we are called as Christians to live our lives with heroic joy. That is, understanding the love and goodness of God, sharing in it, and deriving joy from that in the face of all our troubles and pains in this world. Jesus told us that we WILL have trouble, but He promised us His peace. If that’s not a cause for joy, I don’t know what is! Hope this helps! 😉
 
Just thought I’d mention that “joyful” in the sense that we are supposed to be joyful does not necessarily imply that one is of the “Happy Monday!!! Rise and shine, the birds are singing, let’s see your smiling faces!!” type of person. I’m not sure how to describe it (though I might take a crack it later), but it’s more than a mere outward exuberance.

I tend to consider myself generally joyful, for example, but I also have an extreme allergy to exclamation marks and smilies, except when used sarcastically :cool:, and tend not to do the excitable happy jump up and down thing. Ever.

So again, I’m not sure exactly what being joyful means, but it’s not just being “cheery.” It doesn’t even exclude the sort of benevolent grumpiness you see in a certain type of older person (Granny Weatherwax from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, for example, is not cheery. At all. But a person like her could be joyful).
 
I don’t know how we can NOT be joyful-considering what we have. We’ve been given a completely unmerited blessing and nothing in life can compare to it.

Now, I agree that the idea of “joyful” in modern culture is probably not a good translation of the words used in the Bible. My feeling is that what the Bible refers to as being constantly joyful is really about holding onto that internal peace that comes from the understanding of God’s love for us. It’s a quality that I’ve found in everyone I’ve ever met who truly understands the idea of salvation.
 
There’s a difference between joy and happiness. The most somber and morose-looking person can be joyful. The person who appears happiest of all can be in a state of crisis, immorality, and depression deep down. Joyfulness is a deep inner truth of confidence, faith, hope, trust, and love for God - and for all things because of God. I am an exceedingly serious & solemn person in public, but I have joy - it’s just hidden most of the time… hidden in Christ with God! 😃
 
I don’t think that each of us will show or express our joyful, spiritual nature in the same way, for example our faces can betray us. I have a mouth that turns down when I do not intentionally smile, if I am concentrating on something, even if it is a pleasant thought, I can look stern. But, joyful represents how I “feel” or internalize the gracious blessings God has given me. So, yes, internally I must be joyful and I truly am.
 
mountee said:
I don’t think that each of us will show or express our joyful, spiritual nature in the same way, for example our faces can betray us. I have a mouth that turns down when I do not intentionally smile, if I am concentrating on something, even if it is a pleasant thought, I can look stern. But, joyful represents how I “feel” or internalize the gracious blessings God has given me. So, yes, internally I must be joyful and I truly am.
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This is very true. There have been times when someone would come up to me and say smile, it is not that bad and I think to myself they are looking at my face and deciding that is how I feel inside but I like you have a mouth that turns down when I an not intentionally smiling and so they are misjudging me. Being happy about something or an event or goings on is one thing. Being at peace and having a joy in our heart because of our Lord is something else and something better.
 
There is the joy of the Lord. At the same time we still live in the “real world” so realistically, you can’t have joy all the time.
 
In last Sunday’s homily, my pastor said that anyone who is not joyful is a “bad Catholic.” Severe language, huh?
But I agree with the others who say that being joyful doesn’t mean we are always skipping and humming “Favorite Things.” Well, unless you’re Julie Andrews. For most of us, joy can be as simple as sincerely saying “good morning” to our coworkers, helping our spouse do a chore without complaining, not acting grumpy when we feel grumpy inside.
 
TemplarKnight1 said:
As Catholics, do our attitudes always have to be joyful?

I’m not really the joyful type.
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Joyful in heart, at least 😃

Christ did say that He wanted our joy to be full. Also, joyfulness consoles and gives hope to others, further spreading joy. This does not mean a worldly joy as we see in those who laugh carelessly in all occasions. It is the kind of joy that makes two hard-working fellows cross their eyes and instinctively smile, the kind that after a hard work is done makes everyone be glad and feel well even though it’s just the beginning.

Everyone has a personality. Someone can be very serious and this won’t stop him from being joyful 😉
 
Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. If you don’t have joy in your life then how can you have the Spirit?
 
Paul tells us “Rejoice in the Lord always”

Now does that mean we will always have a particular emotion? No. Or that one must always go about “skipping an humming a tune?” no…

Indeed the Joy of a Christian -that Joy of knowing Christ-- of being* in Christ * --of knowing his love …that he is with us in both joys and and sorrows – can as Pope Benedict XVI put it endures “even in trials, in suffering itself” not as something that remains on the surface but dwells in the depths. From our entrusting our selves to God - being sheep carried by the Good Shepherd…
 
Nope. Only an extraverted optimist would say you have to be that. I’ll never be accused of being a Suzy Sunshine and my favorite Sesame Street character was Oscar the Grouch because he was the only one who really told the truth.
 
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