"O God, let me know you and love you so that I may find joy in you; and if I cannot do so fully in this life, let me at least make some progress every day, until at last that knowledge, love and joy come to me in all their plenitude. While I am here on earth let me know you fully; let my love for you grow deeper here, so that there I may love you fully. On earth then I shall have great joy in hope, and in heaven complete joy in the fulfillment of my hope. " St. Adrian of Canterbury (+710)

Where will that joy come from that so many people are searching for? He says it comes from knowing the Lord and in loving the Lord. The more we know the Lord, not only intellectually but more importantly relationally, the more I am intimately alive in him. The more my knowledge is a heart knowledge, the more I want to love him with my whole being. It is in this graced relationship that I will find the joy that is not superficial but lasting.  Isn’t this the message of Jesus to us? “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (John 15:10-11) His joy comes from knowing, loving and serving him.