“Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your Master’s joy” (Matthew 25:21).

One morning in chapel, my eye passed over the Gospel passage for the day. I noticed it was quite long, and though I wondered what it would be about, my focus returned to the first reading, which I would be proclaiming from the ambo in a short while.

Having finished meditating on the epistle and psalm, I turned to the Gospel, anxious to see what it would be about. As I read, I realized it was the familiar parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30).

(Later, at breakfast, the question arose as to what a talent was and how much it was worth. A quick internet search shows that five talents would be worth about $2 million today. I had no idea!)

Anyway, as I continued my morning Scripture reading, the refrain, “Come, share your master’s joy,” struck a chord in my heart. It may be unique to Matthew’s Gospel.

These words sounded so tender, so beautiful. The master in the parable was inviting a mere servant to share his joy.

As with any Gospel parable, we know it has implications for us beyond the surface. Although I knew this phrase refers mostly to the end of a faithful person’s life, when he or she finally meets the Lord, I realized that this gratuitous gift of sharing our Master’s joy is not entirely reserved for after our judgment.

The Fruit of Joy

Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit; it comes to us through the Holy Spirit’s presence in our life. As children of God, baptized and confirmed, we are enabled to taste the joy of our Lord on this side of Heaven. We are enabled to be joyful investors of His gifts and joyful laborers in His vineyard, because we are not alone; He is with us!

Joy, itself, is something that we need to preserve and invest. A friend of mine was good about reminding me: “Don’t let anyone steal your joy.” Having gone through my own struggles, this preservation of joy is something that I personally find very important.

Here are some keys to preserving this important fruit of the Spirit:

• Have an attitude of gratitude.

• Remember God’s presence.

• Practice surrender and trust.

• Listen to praise music throughout your day, especially when you start feeling down.

A Helpful Exercise

Keep your thoughts in check. If you find yourself “leaking joy,” try pausing for a few minutes to do the following mental checkup. It’s helpful to write it down on paper:

• Situation: What is going on? What happened?

• Emotions: What am I feeling (e.g., angry, anxious, sad, etc.)? An emotion chart may help you to pinpoint your feelings.

• Automatic Thoughts: What am I telling myself?

• Cognitive Distortions: What is wrong with my thinking patterns here? Am I generalizing, focusing on the negative, catastrophizing (making a mountain out of a molehill), etc.?

• Rational Response: Respond to each automatic thought with a more rational and positive counterstatement of truth.

Another important part of preserving joy, which I have learned through experience, is making and holding healthy boundaries. Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend have a wonderful book that approaches this topic from a Scriptural grounding and in a very readable manner.

As this new year unfolds, I hope you find some inspiration and help in preserving your share in our “Master’s joy,” regardless of what your day may hold.

This article is adapted from a blog post published by the Franciscan Sisters of Dillingen and is published with permission.

Sister Christina Marie Neumann is a Franciscan Sister in Hankinson, North Dakota.  She has a background in communications, which she has drawn upon in various capacities over the years. She has fourteen years’ experience working with the elderly and disabled and now assists with various projects at her community’s provincial house and retreat center, including maintaining the retreat center's website and authoring a weekly blog on behalf of her Franciscan community.