“Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5:16-17)

Well, there you are, simple enough. Joy, prayer—they go together. Yet we forget that, don’t we? Sometimes we get so worked up, so frustrated and angry, and then we get even angrier because we don’t know why we’re so angry. But, we haven’t prayed. Yet still, we’re mystified about our anger; we don’t understand why we’re so angry. Joy and prayer go together. But we forget that, don’t we?

That’s the Church’s reminder on this Third Sunday of Advent. We’re called to be joyful, commanded even. But don’t forget that joy and prayer go together, that you can’t have one without the other.

And so how are you doing? How’s your prayer life coming along? You’re angry about your anger, but have you prayed? If not, don’t complain; instead pray. “It doesn’t work,” you say. Nonsense, keep praying. Sometimes they are the simple lessons we resist the most. Joy and prayer—keep them together. It works, promise.