A Whole New World

For this momentary light affliction 

is producing for us an eternal weight 

of glory beyond all comparison.  -2 Corinthians 4:17

Since I last entered a blog entry, I have graduated college, I have accepted a promotion, and I have left my world behind and moved to Alaska.  This has possibly been the greatest step in faith I have taken.  I accepted the new job with great trepidation and fear.  I have carried so much baggage from Raleigh to Denver with the hopes to shed it all.  And now I am wondering what the future even looks like.  There really is no direction out here but up.  

A friend of a friend invited me to join a community.  Community is vastly underrated when it comes to how I view my social life.  Facebook is not a social life no matter how much I try to make it that way.  Facebook doesn't enhance anything about my life.  In fact, Facebook brings into sharp relief all the things that I miss out on.  Parties and outings with friends I left behind are documented with great clarity.  

I don't feel depressed by any stretch of the imagination.  I just feel called to return to a lifestyle that is far more humble than I have been living.  I was asked recently how my prayer life was, and it is non-existent.  In a way, realizing this is a tremendous grace.  Say a prayer that I remember to say a prayer and be thankful for a wonderful opportunity here in the final frontier.  

I always told the teens in the youth program I served, 'in the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have overcome the world."  There is nothing to be sad about.  I've missed many opportunities in the past.  I have regrets that could fill an encyclopedia.  I have learned more than I should have.  And mostly, I've learned to be patient.  I can only do what I can do.  For the rest, I will wait.  

Hope and Joy

The joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives

of all who encounter Jesus. – Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis

I have been neglecting my blog for quite some time.  This has been somewhat intentional and, at times, it has been a reflection of the busy-ness of my life.  This past week, I joined a men’s group that has taken upon the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, as a study.  Our first week, we studied just the introduction.  Though this discussion took place two days ago, I still find myself reflecting upon the passage that we read. 

This document is about evangelization.  This should not be a surprise.  However, this does not mean that the document does not have practical purpose and insight for all people without regard to religious preference.  Pope Francis openly declares in this introduction that evangelization “is first and foremost about preaching the Gospel to those who do not know Jesus Christ or who have always rejected him” (14). 

I believe there are two major themes of the introduction to this exhortation.  The first theme is that our world has allowed technology to increase the accessibility of pleasure but technology cannot be the source of joy.  The second theme is well defined:  “Joy adapts and changes, but it always endures, even as a flicker of light born of our personal certainty that, when everything is said and done, we are infinitely loved” (6). 

One of the great tragedies of the modern era has been the degrading of language.  Joy has become nearly synonymous with happy.  At best, it has become a superlative of happy but this cannot be authentic or true.  Happy is an emotion that can change to sadness and never the twain shall meet.  These are distinct emotions that find their expression in feeling.  We can alternate between the two quite rapidly but never experience them at the same time.  The action of joy is to rejoice.  The Christian can rejoice in sorrow, sadness, or even suffering.  The early Christians even found happiness in suffering.  There can be joy with sadness or sorry but one cannot be happy and sad simultaneously.

So what does this mean for me?  This has been more than a question on the table during a discussion.  My reflections over the past few days have been essentially the same.  I have been diving in to the depths of joy and wondering how can I be formed to live joy to the fullest in my life, all day and every day. 

I’ve been trying to remember my state of mind when I first wake up in the morning.  Am I rejoicing in the creation of the day?  Am I thankful for the first breath of air or the sunrise (or today’s rain)?  Do I rejoice in having a job that allows me to live in modest comfort?  I reflected on how I carry myself in the office.  When I walk into the office, I try to remember that how people perceive me begins with how I present myself in the morning.  This thought helps me to recollect myself and to prepare myself to encounter the day. 

The introduction to Evangelii Gaudium also notes that all people “have a right to receive the Gospel” (14).  This right is often deprived from many people because of the lukewarm nature of the average Christian.  But what is this Gospel?  What is this good news?  The truth of the Gospel has never changed.  Jesus came, suffered, died and rose again.  The last part seems to be very difficult for many people.  Because Jesus rose from the dead establishes for us that those who die in Christ will also share in his resurrection.  This the source of Christian hope. 

In a sense, a person cannot have hope without the resurrection of Jesus.  The modern definition of hope is to expect with confidence.  However, when one states something to the effect of I hope I have a good day, or I hope so-and-so is feeling better, we are essentially expressing a wish and not a confident expectation.  Hope has a supernatural component that requires faith to move forward.  Hope is not self-efficacious because then it cannot be hope.  If my heart stops, I cannot will it to start again.  I can hope it starts again.  The will of God may use a person to start my heart or he may use a miracle.  But that is hope. 

Hope and joy are linked eternally.  They both find their source and fulfillment in God.  Hope and joy are best received by our participation in them with God.  All persons are capable of faith, hope and love.  However, the Christian cannot waver in these.  Any indication of the other will lead to a perception of hypocrisy and this is a tool of the enemy to undermine the reality of God’s love.  God’s love does not require our perfection but it does require our effort.  I will never be perfect, but I pray that I will never cease to will to be perfected in my Christian charity. 

I will for the conversion of all people, especially those who already identify as Christian.  I recognize that my evangelization cannot begin until I begin to love others more deeply that I always demonstrate that I only want what is good for them as opposed to what is convenient for me.  

Dies Domini Exhortation

(I was asked to give an exhortation a few months ago.  I am blogging it now)

My brothers in Christ,

It is with great humility that I deliver this reflection this evening.  I know that among my friends there are men who are more educated, more holy, and more faithful.  But I ask the Lord for his words:

Let us pray.  Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Word of God spoken to us.  You give us life and light and call us to live holy lives for you.  Be on our hearts and minds this evening and help us to have authentic fraternal brotherhood that is pleasing to you.  May God grant us pardon and peace through Christ our Lord.

The third commandment tells us to “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.”  In his Apostolic Letter, Dies Domini, Holy Father Pope St John Paul II invites us to live heroically the holy day of the week.  Let us hear his words:

The disciples of Christ, however, are asked to avoid any confusion between the celebration of Sunday, which should truly be a way of keeping the Lord's Day holy, and the "weekend", understood as a time of simple rest and relaxation. This will require a genuine spiritual maturity, which will enable Christians to "be what they are", in full accordance with the gift of faith, always ready to give an account of the hope which is in them (cf. 1 Pt 3:15). In this way, they will be led to a deeper understanding of Sunday, with the result that, even in difficult situations, they will be able to live it in complete docility to the Holy Spirit. - “Dies Domini”, Pope John Paul II

The Lord invites us to enjoy a day of rest.  He does not, however, invite us to be lazy.  Lazy Christianity leads to temptations and unnecessary challenges to holy living.  But, authentic Christianity calls us to embrace fraternal joy and communion on His day of rest.  The joy of Lord comes to us all when we live the call of Christ to universal holiness.  

Even in this day, the brothers here demonstrate for us this call.  I do not yet know each person here to enter into the Church’s idea of communion.  And yet, as a stranger I am welcome.  Hungry, I am fed.  Communion with each other is a deep and loving relationship that is neither selfish nor falsely pious.  It is when we embrace the friendship of Christ and live that friendship do we begin to enter into communion with each other.  These friendships find their growth on this day of rest and find their perfection in the Eucharistic feast of the Mass.  We were made for communion and we were made to live this each day and not just at the Mass.  

Each day let us remember that we are called to work and pray, but we are also called to enjoy our holy friendships.  May we always keep our hearts ready as thrones for the Holy Trinity.  And thus will we always be holy and pleasing for the Lord, and beacons of hope and joy for each other.  May the Lord bring us all his peace and joy.