Father Vic Subb recalls experiences of joy throughout his missionary life and reminds us that true joys come from God.

On the wall of my bedroom is a banner from Kenya that reads, “joy is not in things, but in us.” I seek to live that joy.

We all have experiences that help us become more joyful people. In my years of being a Glenmary missioner, I have been blessed with many such experiences, and I wish to share some of the experiences that helped me grow in joyfulness. 

My last parish mission was St. Joan of Arc Church in Plymouth, North Carolina. The 5 p.m. Mass on Saturday had a choir comprised of six women and Kay, the organist. Each member of the choir would tell me that they cannot sing very well. They practiced for one hour before Mass. But as I walked down the aisle, the six choir members who say they cannot sing sound almost like angels. 

The hymns filled me with joy as I began the celebration of Mass. 

As a priest, one of my greatest joys is the ability to share the sacraments. There is joy of new life in Baptism, with parents glowing with love. The same is true for adult Baptisms, whose faces reflect peace and deep joy. There is the First Communion child who stands tall with hands folded, a little nervous as they receive Jesus for the first time. They are great examples to me of the sacredness of the Sacraments.  

There is joy in teens and adults who prepare for months to receive Confirmation. There is great relief in the sacrament of Reconciliation, where sins are forgiven and people begin anew. There is love dwelling within marriage: saying yes to forever, not knowing the future. Relief and joy mixed as we hear the words “I do.” 

I always wanted to be a tour guide when I was at Holy Trinity Church in Swainsboro, Georgia and I had a chance to live that dream. Parish trips brought more unity and joy to the parish community. We had day trips as well as overnight trips. The laughter and singing always brought smiles.  

Adult religious classes were trips of their own. We deemed it “trip theology.” All were professors. Together, we all grew in love and understanding one another. 

On of my greatest joys is watching people see the ocean for the first time–crazy jumping up and down, smiles  that make me want to jump up and down. While there are many struggles in life, celebrations of life give us hope to face the hard times. 

One of my most joyful experiences was in 2015, when I organized a trip to see Pope Francis during his visit to Philadelphia, my hometown.  

I was pastor of Holy Family in Lafayette, Tennessee at the time. There was interest in the parish to go for what felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  

The drive would be 11 hours. My idea was to carpool. I asked the pastor of my childhood parish – Queen of Peace in Ardsley Pennsylvania – if he could find housing for our group.  

Several days later he said there were families who said yes. The list of those who wanted to go grew to 47. I asked, “how, Lord Jesus, can we do this?” And yet, we did. 

A caravan of cars set out for Philadelphia, not sure if there would be enough housing for everyone. God is Good. People slept on the floor. Fifteen stayed at my sister Mary Ann and brother Joe’s house. Neighbors fed us, and the parish had a great meal for us. 

To see the interaction of the two communities was pure joy. We were able to see Pope Francis and hear his message. I felt as though we were in heaven. The train rides to and from the celebration were filled with singing from our group. All was a blessing; all was true experience of joy. 

After ordination I was sent to southeast Arkansas to serve in a parish comprised of four churches. I was to minister to two of the churches, including one in Warren had a large Hispanic population working in tomato fields. It was 1987 and President Regan had introduced an Amnesty Program as well as a farm workers program to help immigrants) gain legal status in this country.  

Many people would help with this process, but at a great cost.  

I chose to help with these applications without charge. It was a four-hour trip to the immigration office in Memphis. The night before, those who would be traveling gathered at the rectory in Warren. People were nervous. Some prayed all night. The ride to Memphis was silent. They were going to see immigration officers face-to-face.  

The lines were always long. People entered the office shaking and left with the greatest smiles. Joy reigned in all our hearts. 

I also had the honor and great challenge to help build three church buildings – Peebles, Ohio; Crossett, Arkansas; and Lafayette, Tennessee. All three communities needed a new church.  

Building committee meetings included many discussions about floor style, size of altar, and more. Sometimes, it felt as though we would never be able to build the Church. But with God’s grace came a new purpose. We were not building the Church for ourselves, but for those who would use the Church in the future. 

Just as people built Churches for us, we were leaving our legacy. Attitudes changed, all worked together, and the finished product was a beautiful Church. On dedication days, I beamed with great joy, grateful for the sacrifices of many people. The fruits of that hard work would allow many to have a Church home for years to come. 

The joy in us comes from the author of joy – Jesus Christ. We are Easter people. Jesus’ Through the Resurrection, Jesus offers us life eternal and joy that lasts a lifetime.