The Weight of Glory: A Reflection on Joy
Introduction
In The Weight of Glory, C.S. Lewis explores the profound concept of joy as something far deeper than fleeting happiness. Joy, as Lewis describes, is a longing for something beyond ourselves—a glimpse of heaven, a foretaste of our eternal home. This chapter invites us to reimagine joy as both a gift and a calling.
Joy as Longing
For Lewis, joy is not simply an emotion but a signpost pointing to something greater. He writes, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” This joy is a deep longing, a yearning for the divine beauty and glory we were created to experience. It is not found in material possessions or earthly achievements but in our relationship with God.
Lewis uses the imagery of a child longing for a distant memory or a fleeting moment of beauty to describe the nature of joy. This longing is not despair but a recognition that our deepest desires can only be fulfilled in God. Joy, then, becomes a reminder that we are made for something more—eternity with Him.
The Paradox of Joy
Lewis also addresses the paradox of joy: it is both an ache and a delight. The ache comes from recognizing that we are not yet where we belong; the delight comes from the glimpses of God’s glory we experience here on earth. These moments of joy are like rays of light breaking through the clouds, giving us hope and strengthening our faith.
Lewis challenges us to see these moments not as ends in themselves but as echoes of heaven. He writes, “The books or the music in which we thought the beauty was located will betray us if we trust to them; it was not in them, it only came through them, and what came through them was longing.” Joy is never about the object; it is about the One who gives it.
Joy as Our Destiny
Ultimately, Lewis reminds us that joy is our eternal destiny. In heaven, we will experience the fullness of joy as we bask in the glory of God. The weight of glory is not a burden but an invitation to step into the radiant presence of our Creator. As Lewis concludes, “We do not want merely to see beauty… we want to be united with the beauty, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves.”
Application
As we reflect on Lewis’s words, we are invited to:
• Seek joy in God, not in fleeting pleasures.
• Look for glimpses of heaven in our everyday lives.
• Trust that our longing will be fulfilled in eternity.
Closing Prayer
Lord, thank You for the gift of joy that points us to Your glory. Help us to recognize the glimpses of heaven You give us each day and to find our ultimate delight in You. May our longing lead us to deeper trust and hope in Your eternal promises. Amen.
Further Reading
• The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis
• Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis
• Psalm 16:11: “In Your presence is fullness of joy.”
• John 15:11: “I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ”
Deus Caritas Est
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