Summary: The author reflects on the song “Gaudēte,” which evokes a deep sense of longing and joy during Advent. This longing is compared to the experiences of Flannery O’Connor’s character, Mrs. Turpin, who undergoes a painful transformation through grace. Ultimately, the piece emphasizes that true joy comes from yearning for a deeper connection with the divine.
To think of joy as longing runs afoul of conventional wisdom, doesn’t it? We typically consider joy to be a state of happy fulfillment or pleased completion: I’ve found what I’ve been looking for. Therefore I’m joyful. Joy is the destination, not the desire that makes you want to get there. (View Highlight)
joy is the yearning for fulfillment that draws us towards what in fact will fulfill us by teasing us with a foretaste of it. (View Highlight)
When we catch glimpses of The Divine in finite and temporal beauty, we shiver with awed longing—with joy—because that which we truly crave, that which we sense will genuinely fulfill us, has brushed our hearts. Once tasted, twice yearned for. (View Highlight)