Every December for the last 2 decades, a very successful businessman has roamed the streets of Kansas City, Missouri, giving out $100 bills to those who seem in need.

Last year, for example, he walked into Nick and Betty’s Café—a place where he often ate when he didn’t have very much money—and he proceeded to give waitress Kim Hoy three $100 bills (one for her, and one for each of her children).

She was overwhelmed, to say the least. With tears of joy in her eyes she said, "I can’t handle this. This is my first Christmas without my mom. I wasn’t looking forward to it."

The man, who is affectionately known as the city’s "Secret Santa," said that he normally gives away about $50,000, although last year he gave out around $85,000.

Why does he do this, you ask? It’s because of something that happened to him way back in 1971. The incident was recounted in an article which appeared in the Westerly Sun last December. Some of you may remember it. The author wrote:

Then he went to a laundry, to a drive-in, to the barber cutting hair where Horn’s diner used to be, leaving a trail of cash everywhere.

I share this story with you this morning to illustrate a truth about "joy."

Hearing about the charity of this "Secret Santa" brings us joy, does it not? Why? Why does it bring us joy?

It’s not because of anything in the material order—that’s something we need to be crystal clear about. You are not joyful at this moment because you received $10,000—or even $100—because you didn’t. You have no more money in your pocket right now than you did when Mass began. In fact, by the end of Mass you will have less money in your pocket than you do right now—at least you should!

The joy you feel is not rooted in the material order, it’s rooted in the spiritual; that is to say, it’s a matter of the heart. We all heard a story—a true story—about the selfless charity of another human being, which touched us at the very core of our being and gave birth to joy within us.

But what about those who did receive money from this Secret Santa? Isn’t their joy rooted in the material? I would say, "No"—although the money they were given does add to their joy, no doubt about it! But the basis of it is the love and compassion they experienced through another human being—not the money. Consequently (and this is the really good news) their joy can go on, long after they’ve spent their hundred dollars (or $10,000 in the case of Mr. Horn). In fact, I’m quite certain that many of the people who received $100 bills 20 years ago from this Secret Santa still experience joy today whenever the event comes to mind.

So the lesson is: Joy is ultimately a matter of the heart, a matter of the spirit.

But this is not what most people believe, is it?—and that’s especially evident at this time of year. Consequently, they try to find lasting joy where it cannot possibly be found: in things which eventually rot, in money which is all-too-quickly spent, and in happy experiences which are all-too-quickly over.

If joy is a matter of the spirit, then lasting joy can be found only in the spiritual. This is a truth we encounter in the Sacred Scriptures over and over again. Look, for example, at today’s first reading from Zephaniah 3. The prophet says, "Shout for joy, O Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel!" He then gives the reasons that the people of God should have joy in their hearts: "The Lord has removed the judgment against you" (in other words, God has forgiven you); "the King of Israel, the Lord is in your midst" (that is to say, God is with you); "you have no further misfortune to fear" (i.e., he delivers you from evil); ". . . he will rejoice over you and renew you in his love" (in other words, he loves you and wants to reconcile you to himself). The reasons for joy in that text are all spiritual—as they should be, as they must be!

Some people wonder how they can possibly do what St. Paul tells them to do in Philippians 4:4 (which was the first line of today’s second reading). Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always." They say, "How can anyone do that? After all, life is full of tragedies, disappointments and other sufferings."

It’s only possible to rejoice always if you’re trying to find your ultimate joy in the spiritual. If you’re trying to find it in the material and temporal, then it’s true—you’ll never be able to do it. You’ll rejoice only when things are going well, and crash when things aren't.

The great saints were able to rejoice always because deep down in the very depths of their being they knew all those things that Zephaniah talked about: they knew God loved them, and was with them, and was always ready to have mercy upon them, regardless of what they were going through. And so they could still rejoice—even on the worst of days.

Which brings us to the Gospel reading from Luke 3, where John the Baptist gives a very practical message on repentance to tax collectors, and soldiers, and everyone else who was present at the Jordan on that occasion. Now I must admit, when I started to prepare this homily, I couldn’t see exactly how this reading fit in with the other two. It almost seemed out of place. But then it finally hit me. The Holy Spirit gave us this reading to remind us that you cannot truly rejoice in God, unless you’re "right with God"!