What gives me joy

What is your mission at present? What gives you joy? And which Bible quote currently nourishes you the most in your daily life? These were the questions asked of my friend James, a De La Mennais brother in France, and several other religious recently interviewed by his diocese's media team. 

James posted the video of his interview and the questions on social media, and as I read them, I was able to reply instantly to the first one, and fairly quickly to the last (there's currently more than one piece of scripture speaking most to my heart). But the middle question proved trickier. This isn't because there's nothing which gives me joy - far from it! - but rather, the near impossibility of summing up in words something which is, in many ways, beyond words. 

But I thought I'd try anyway...

So, what gives me joy? The shortest, simplest, one word answer is God - though this has nothing to do with hours spent in ecstatic prayer, or a gilded life, free of pain and disappointment. The God who gives me joy is the God who is Love, and whose unlimited, forgiving, tender and steadfast love I am blessed to know - at the core of my being, and in countless other ways, on bad days as well as good. This God in whom I rejoice wraps me in his fidelity, surprises me with unearned grace, and quietly dwells within, as presence and permanence, whether felt or not. And this God, through the broken, wounded, redeeming Heart of Jesus, is the source of my hope in these dark times, when the world's anguish is so strongly tangible.

And it is because of this God that I find joy in my mission, and my ministry, in which I seek to make Love known; and, effectively, seek to make known the One who is the cause of my joy.

And you: how would you answer those questions? What is your mission, and the bible quote which currently nourishes you? And, especially - what gives you joy?