In her liturgy, the Church dares to sing joyfully of the mystery of Christ’s Cross. Sorrow does not cancel out joy if we live it in union with the self-giving of Jesus Christ for our salvation. What smothers joy is the egoism of sin when we fail to love God and our neighbor, along with a lack of repentance. If our life is dominated by a superficial culture of images, success, and power, any failure or economic reverse—even the wrinkles of old age—will sadden us. For a Christian, joy has nothing to do with the illusion of sinlessness (which is non-existent) but with the readiness to repent and ask for pardon. The prodigal son is truly joyful. I understand better and better why Bl. Josemaría Escrivá called the sacrament of Penance “the sacrament of joy.”