Hey there,
What comes to mind when you think about the Lenten season?
Fasting … sacrifice … almsgiving … penance?
Joy?
Joy! I don’t associate joy with Lent at all.
So I was caught off guard last week when a priest wished us a joyful Lent. Say what?
Sure, joy is what we celebrate at Easter with the Lord’s resurrection. But in the 40 days leading up to Easter?
Naturally, I knew this issue of Genuflect needed to dig into this idea of a joyful Lent. We look at the difference between happiness and joy, the importance of a joyful Lent, how to approach a joyful Lent, tips for a joyful Lent, how to battle through to joy, and a prayer to the patron saint of joy.
Check out these resources to bring joy to your Lenten season. And I pray you have a joyful Lent!
Keep Believing-
Katy Barrilleaux
Founding Editor, Genuflect
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Joy vs. Happiness
We may use the words joy and happiness interchangeably. But if you look more deeply at the meaning of each word, you’ll discover they’re actually quite different. And you’ll understand why joy is much more important.
The Difference Between Joy and Happiness | Catholic Exchange
Joyful Approach
Lent is a time for spiritual renewal and is meant to also be a time of joy. Philip Kosloski explains how it’s all in our approach.
How Lent Can Lead to Peace, Joy And Spiritual Renewal | Aleteia
7 Tips For Joy
We tend to focus on sacrifices during Lent. And it can lead to feelings of despair, loneliness, and joylessness. But it doesn’t have to be that way … nor should it. Here are 7 things to try to help your Lent be more joyful.
When Lent Feels Joy-Less: 7 Tips to Make it Joyful | Life Teen
Marie Kondo Your Faith Life
It wasn’t too long ago Marie Kondo had us all decluttering our house by asking if items gave us joy. Katie Waite explains how to apply the same method to bring joy to our faith life.
Does It Spark Joy? Applying Marie Kondo’s Lessons to My Faith Life | Busted Halo
Choosing Joy
There’s a lot of joylessness in the world around us. And if you have a tendency to see the glass as half empty, it can be an on-going struggle to live the joyful life that God created us to live. Here are 4 ways to choose joy every day.
How Can We Choose Joy in a Joyless World? | Catholic Exchange
Battling For Joy
We all have times in our life when we struggle with sadness … when it seems impossible to be joyful. Susanna Spencer shares the struggle that helped her to understand this one key lesson in how the Lord turns burdens into joy.
Battling For Joy | Blessed is She
Laetare Sunday
Though we are called to be joyful throughout Lent, the fourth Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday and it’s a day dedicated to rejoicing. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is Laetare Sunday During Lent? | Learn Religions
Prayer For Joy
Here’s a prayer to St. Philip Neri, the patron saint of joy, for those days this Lent when you need a little extra help finding joy.
Want More Joy? Pray This Powerful Prayer to St. Philip Neri | Novena Prayers
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