The Science of Joy

I

There is a certain stubbornness to history. I know not how to quantify it. I only know, what is true today, is gone tomorrow. What was yesterday, no one can find. The Feast of First Fruits, the Feast of Weeks, we celebrate the Harvest when the first crops are coming in. We wave it before the Altar, and are satisfied.

This is the first of the science of Joy. What is your first, is filled with sugars. Therefore, offer it before the Priest, wave it before the Altar, give thanks. It is the first of your production. Enjoy the portion, too. Eat. Feast, rest. And then get back to work.

When there is no harvest, but there is much hoeing of the soil... there is much planting... the rains never come... or too much rain comes, and washes out the soil... one can raise a curse to God, and say "Why have you scorched my work, and why have you washed out my seed?" The stochasticity of the water vapor, though, that is all you curse. 

No, God is much deeper than this, and I wish to expound upon true knowledge. That there is stochasticity, there is choice, there is a randomness to life... that is the law of nature. Why there is choice, why some great men fail or go into obscurity, and why some pathetic men are made into towers. Understand this, you understand a lot of things.

Yet, the portrait of Joy is the topic today. Therefore, when you starve, give thanks to God. When the sun beats down on your harvest, when the winds kick up your dirt, when the waters never come---for there is a drought---praise the LORD. Not to have Him miraculously bring the rains---though He can---not to cause prosperity. For one righteous man dies in his righteousness, and another wicked man dies in his wickedness. One thief lives in luxury, and another honest man lives with his life stolen from him.

Where is the science, though? Where is the truth? Do you know my meditations? Can you perceive it?

II

Thus, consider, there are Acres of Diamonds, said the sophist. Yet, time and time again, staying on your property yields no results, and leaving your property leaves no results. Another man discovers minerals on his land, and another discovers great fortune. Another goes across the sea, and finds gold in yonder rivers.

I want to impress upon you, that this is not where joy comes from. A greedy man has great fortune, and a humble man has none. The humble man is satisfied with little, and the greedy man never satisfied. He must get more... he sees the mansion, and must have it. He sees the rare books, and must have it. He sees the cashmere, the sterling silverware, the golden chains, and must have it. He sees the decadent charcuterie and must have it. While in the moment, at the wedding feast, the wiser of the men eats it, knowing this will be maybe thrice in a well lived life, such a thing will occur. The wicked want it at every meal.

There is such a thing as fortune, where it makes men into dogs. They will bark, they will run through hoops, they will even sell their freedom to obtain it. They don't care, for freedom is less precious to them than the 100K salary. Freedom of Speech they don't need, but a custom motorcycle they do. They don't need the right to religion, but they do need the tattoo. They don't need marriage, but they do need their menstrual blood.

Understand this... about fortune... the wise man is satisfied with little. But, there is another joy, I will tell. A greater joy, if you will just listen. Listen carefully to my speech. I have dark sayings, and wisdom of the ancients. Where is it? It is gone. Thus, joy dissolves from the Earth, for all are in ernest to get and receive, but never to give.

III

True Joy, comes from satisfaction with little. To eat from your labor, this is joy. To have a roast suckling, bread with chewy crust, soup with good spice, and vegetables with sweet and savor, and to say "I have hoed my field, and I have sowed my crop, and I have planed my wood, and I have smithed my hoe, and I have found the keys of knowledge." That is where there is joy.

Yet, consider... men can take this from you. Can they not? If they do not like you, they can make you into an infant. They can take a wise man, and make him foolish. They can make the foolish wise in the world's eyes. They can make Majesty out of the Sloth, and the man who delicately crafts in Marble, and smiths of Iron, and does the engraving, they can make seem the sloth. The man who seeks wisdom, they can make look crazy. And they can. They can make a lifetime of work idleness. If no one purchases your craft, if no one will cooperate in the economy, then you will be poor. No matter how strong your craft is.

Thus, we come to the crux of Joy. Men must cooperate, and live at peace. There is true Joy. The artisan properly appraised, the food properly judged, the metal properly tested. And if it breaks, it goes to the one who didn't. If there is a master craftsman, he must eat. If he cannot, then what economy is this? The proud go and make their things, all for their purposes. Whose purposes?

Thus, why does it go on and on, and nothing ever happens? When men starve you, and they can, just for your liberty, they do it. And then there is no freedom, beside prosperity. Where is joy? It is in the one who follows best, and doesn't show themselves to be different. That is who is happy, until many become few, and few become one, who has any prosperity?

IV

Thus, here is the secret to Joy. Consider the decadence of Kings, with Diamonds for windows, the prisms pour onto the wood. Know there is greater riches than that, in the Kingdom above. One Acre of Heaven's Land, is far more valuable than all the Earth's treasures. For, it is golddust for dirt, and the pebbles are precious stones. The sedimentary layers of the crust are the finest gems. And there is no mantel: there is no fiery hell beneath it. It is all forgotten.

Thus, when you walk closest to the grave, when they wish to flay you, cook you, beat you, poison you, prick you, strangle you, burn you, publish all your secrets and let you rot... there is such a Love that comes from Heaven's fields. True acres of Diamonds.

There is a beauty there, that when held in your heart, will produce lasting peace. And there, if poor, and no man will see you on the wayside, you shall be happy. And your enemy will say, "Why? We have taken everything he has, and have destroyed it." And the wise shall say, "Oh, you fool. Had you not known, this world's goods were not my true treasures? I had a foundation of rock, which I built my house, and there is my joy. Not here. Here, you take all I have, or give me mansions and fine flesh and fine virgins, there is no more riches greater, than that of the Kingdom. I can live in endurance, and though you try me, I come out like Silver Purified Seven Times. Stamped for Purity, and a little impurity, to make me valuable for costly rings."

Thus, what is joy? Here is the secret: The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. There is your joy, and none can steal it from you. No not one. They can try, they can cause words to pour from your lips, they can do you great injustice, they can make you feel great pain and sorrow: They can make you rich, they can make you wealthy, they can make your heart filled with joy... there is the LORD and His treasure in your heart. They cannot steal that, if you have buried the pearl in the field, and hid it. They cannot find it, if they search. For the field is in your own soil, and you have taken the tares, and rocks, and highways out of it. And you have planted the mustard seed. And you have great love inside of you. That is where the truth resides. And none can steal that joy, if you sow it.