Great joy be upon you, also, while your thought shall be that the birth of Christ is the cause of supreme joy. Let all those that put their trust in You rejoice: let them always shout for joy, because You defend them: let those also that love Your name be joyful in You. Further, our joy arises out of the love we have towards our God. "Let them that love Your name be joyful in You." The more you love God, the more you will delight in Him. It is the profusion of a mother's love to her child which makes her take such delight in it. Her boy is her joy because of her love. If we loved Jesus better, we should be happier in Him.
How could I choose their base love, when a love so pure, so true, so constant, was waiting for me? My observation has been that the joy of those who have been graciously forgiven after having greatly transgressed, rather exceeds than falls short of the joy of such as are more gradually brought into Gospel liberty! Oh, no, my Master will not adjudge you to take a second rank! The whole man was so full of joy that he did not know how to contain himself! The drift of all his conversation was, "I have found Christ! I have laid hold on eternal life! I have trusted in Jesus! I am saved!" His joy, though uttered in part, was unutterable!
I would like to be green in old age with young love to Jesus and would not you, too, Brothers and Sisters? Well, if you would have it so, go back to the night to be observed and remember it this evening with tears of gratitude. What love feasts those are in which we commemorate the dawn of spiritual life! How free from conflicting opinions and turbulent passions!
Should we not labor to realize more of HIM, taking in the whole Truth of God concerning His Person and love by meditation, contemplation, understanding and reverent simplicity? Let nothing lie by, let us eat and drink all the stores of the banquet of love! Do not believe that the love of Jesus can be too powerfully felt in the soul. Permit the full sweep and current of holy joy in the Lord to carry you away, it will be safe to yield to it. "Rejoice in the Lord always and again, I say, Rejoice."
True, we are unworthy, but He invites us! Let us show our love by joying in Him as He joys in us! Amen.