Be Glad and Rejoice Intensely (Easter 2022)

by Carlos Aedo

"Here it will be to ask for the grace to be glad and rejoice intensely because of the great joy and the glory of Christ our Lord." – Spiritual Exercises 221

The Easter season is full of stories of Jesus appearing to people after the Resurrection in all kinds of places and moments. We witness them change, because Christ's presence is a source of great joy and consolation.

This is the central insight of the "fourth week" of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, that the joy of the Resurrection is a wonderful grace. It is also a grace that we should ask for from God. "Here it will be to ask for the grace to be glad and rejoice," Ignatius writes. Not all of us will simply be overcome with joy as we take our seats in the pews on Easter Sunday.

So, here are two suggestions I found in the Spiritual Exercises, which may help us to experience this great joy.

First, ask. As you sit in Mass or pray your daily Examen, ask God for the grace "to be glad and rejoice intensely" because Christ has risen. Like many of Ignatius's insights into the spiritual life, we are invited to name our desire and express it to God.

Secondly, look. "Perhaps the best way to understand joy is to see it in action," Kevin O'Brien, SJ, writes in his introduction to the "fourth week" of the Spiritual Exercises. Look around, and try to notice joy in the world. Beyond the headlines and daily challenges, Christ's joy is present. God, help us to recognize the joy all around us.

May you feel the joy the Resurrection, and may the love of Christ bring you peace. Happy Easter!