Obedience, Freedom, and Happiness

“Obedience to God’s commandments, far from alienating us from our humanity, is the pathway to genuine liberation and the source of true happiness.” — John Paul II

(Gospel Text: Mt 5:17-19)

Jesus said to his disciples:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.

I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,

not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter

will pass from the law,

until all things have taken place.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments

and teaches others to do so

will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.

But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments

will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."

In 1998 Pope John Paul II addressed a number of bishops and made the statement quoted above in his opening remarks. In an age when so many are interiorly enslaved by sin, passions and misguided energies, his statement and teaching is so on target.

In the address, John Paul II spoke of a crisis of conscience and a crisis of freedom.  The former arises from the attempt nowadays of superseding genuine conscience with a counterfeiting “right to self-will” in which the mere assertion of one’s right to choose is the core “freedom.” John Paul II counters this with the recognition that true freedom is the right to do what one ought to do and to freely adhere to what is good and true.

The Christian understanding of the human person and human nature is rooted in Jesus. Jesus was free to choose the will of the Father to whom he was oriented for our sake.  No one or no thing was to deter him from choosing the mission for which he was sent into this world.  His choice was real; and he was free. His freedom, though, resided not so much in his option to “save himself” from the cross, but in his complete freedom to choose to endure it despite the utter horror it was to bring in mind and body.

Human dignity consists then not only in the capacity and freedom to choose, but to do so wisely and in accord with the good to which we are called, as we see in Jesus.  The many saints are other examples for us.

The Church never arbitrarily imposes norms of morality.  Rather, she informs us to the good and the truth and calls us to act freely with the truth.  She articulates the divine law and reminds us of human nature. She calls us to fidelity.

Men and women of today know they are to live morally upright lives. They often struggle to explain exactly what this implies.  This uncertainty is fed by a skepticism in our culture of the very existence of moral truth. Just look how so many of us try to rationalize our personal habits and political views when they stand in opposition to that which God and our human nature have informed us.

Let us follow the example of Jesus, our model and guide.  He was truly free, with a freedom born in the truth of who he was in obedience to the will of the Father.  

It is only in him, and in following his example, that we will find real happiness.

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one

You and I, we are the Church, no? We have to share with our people. Suffering today is because people are hoarding, not giving, not sharing. Jesus made it very clear. Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do it to me.
Give a glass of water, you give it to me. Receive a little
 child, you receive me. – Mother Teresa

(Scripture Text: 1 Kgs 17:7-16)

The brook near where Elijah was hiding ran dry,

because no rain had fallen in the land.

So the LORD said to Elijah:

"Move on to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there.

I have designated a widow there to provide for you."

He left and went to Zarephath.

As he arrived at the entrance of the city,

a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,

"Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink."

She left to get it, and he called out after her,

"Please bring along a bit of bread."

She answered, "As the LORD, your God, lives,

I have nothing baked;

there is only a handful of flour in my jar

and a little oil in my jug.

Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,

to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;

when we have eaten it, we shall die."

Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid.

Go and do as you propose.

But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.

Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.

For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,

'The jar of flour shall not go empty,

nor the jug of oil run dry,

until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"

She left and did as Elijah had said.

She was able to eat for a year, and Elijah and her son as well;

the jar of flour did not go empty,

nor the jug of oil run dry,

as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

Mother Teresa gives an example of how Divine Providence works in the 20^th Century:

"When once a chairman of a multinational company came to see me, to offer me a property in Bombay, he first asked: ‘Mother, how do you manage your budget?" I asked him who had sent him here. He replied: ‘I felt an urge inside me.’ I said: other people like you come to see me and say the same. It was clear God sent you, Mr. A, as He sends Mr. X, Mrs. Y, Miss Z, and they provide the material means we need for our work. The grace of God is what moved you. You are my budget. God sees to our needs, as Jesus promised. I accepted the property he gave and named it Asha Dan (Gift of Hope). "Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin."

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product

Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.  ~Mother Teresa

(Gospel text: Mt 5:1-12)

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,

and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.

He began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart,

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,

for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you

and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Rejoice and be glad,

for your reward will be great in heaven.

Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Have you ever noticed that just as your cup of happiness is full and you finally settle back to enjoy it, somebody bumps your elbow? Happiness can be an elusive thing. I don’t know how you would measure this, but according to one study only 20 % of the people in the U.S. claim to be happy. For some people it is that “bumped elbow” that is upsetting their cup of happiness. For others, it can be that thing that never happens that upsets their happiness.

What is your picture of a happy life?

Is your picture of the happy life the “American dream”, the ideal of owning a home, two car garage, having 2 kids and a dog, enjoying your job, and having enough money to enjoy your leisure? What is your picture of a happy life? Where are the places you want to visit to find happiness, the movie theater, the amusement park, a mountain hiking trail, the shopping mall, a good restaurant, Bank One Ball Park? Or maybe for you it’s not the place so much as the circumstances that you hope will make you happy. Are you looking for happiness to come through something else? Perhaps you are looking for happiness in your relationships, or your family life? Or perhaps you are waiting for happiness to return with the change of circumstances, like the restoration of your health, or your financial situation, or finding the right job, or the right romance.

Jesus gave us a picture of a happy life that was very different. Jesus told us you can find happiness in strange places.

The beatitudes, which are noted in today’s gospel text are not a series of commands, but blessings that are described and the promises associated with the attitudes that are rewarded with these blessings. The beatitudes describe the kind of person who will receive the blessings of God. The beatitudes identify a series of qualities that produce happiness, even though happiness is not readily apparent

Where do you look for happiness?

If I can give you any advice, I beg you to get closer to the Eucharist

“Do not, therefore, regard the bread and wine as simply that, for they are, according to the Master’s declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ. Even though the senses suggest to you the other, let faith make you firm.” – St. Cyril of Jerusalem

The Feast of Corpus Christi

(Gospel Text: Mark 14:12-16, 22-26)

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,

when they sacrificed the Passover lamb,

Jesus' disciples said to him,

"Where do you want us to go

and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

He sent two of his disciples and said to them,

"Go into the city and a man will meet you,

carrying a jar of water.

Follow him.

Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,

'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room

where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'

Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.

Make the preparations for us there."

The disciples then went off, entered the city,

and found it just as he had told them;

and they prepared the Passover.

While they were eating,

he took bread, said the blessing,

broke it, gave it to them, and said,

"Take it; this is my body."

Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,

and they all drank from it.

He said to them,

"This is my blood of the covenant,

which will be shed for many.

Amen, I say to you,

I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine

until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

Then, after singing a hymn,

they went out to the Mount of Olives.

With readings like the Gospel today, I love to wonder about the Disciples’ reactions to Jesus.  Each one would have had an incredibly different reaction every time Jesus did something radical.  Were there a few men that were calm and unexcitable by nature?  Was there one that flipped out and ran around trying to make sense of everything the moment something was strange, unknown, or different?  What did they think when Jesus began the day (a very important feast day, at that) by saying: "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him.”  What did they say when he sat at table and instituted the holiest of sacraments?  Were they puzzled?

What I truly love about the Disciples is that they trusted.  Jesus told them to go find a man carrying a water jar, so of course they went.  They might not have understood the entire picture, but they understood how important and beautiful Jesus is, and they were willing to place everything in his hands.  Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  Let us celebrate today with trust.  Even when Christ calls us to things we may feel are radical, let us trust.  He has loved us by giving us all of himself; let us love him by giving all of ourselves. 

"Peace is costly but it is worth the expense"

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." - Mother Teresa
(Responsorial Psalm Ps 119:157, 160, 161, 165, 166, 168)
R. (165a) O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
Though my persecutors and my foes are many,
I turn not away from your decrees.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
Permanence is your word's chief trait;
each of your just ordinances is everlasting.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
Princes persecute me without cause
but my heart stands in awe of your word.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
Those who love your law have great peace,
and for them there is no stumbling block.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
I wait for your salvation, O LORD,
and your commands I fulfill.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.
I keep your precepts and your decrees,
for all my ways are before you.
R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law

“Peace is the gift of God. Do you want peace? Go to God. Do you want peace in your families? Go to God. Do you want peace to brood over your families? If you do, live your religion, and the very peace of God will dwell and abide with you, for that is where peace comes from, and it doesn't dwell anywhere else. . . .

Some in speaking of war and troubles, will say are you not afraid? No, I am a servant of God, and this is enough, for Father is at the helm. It is for me to be as clay in the hands of the potter, to be pliable and walk in the light of the countenance of the Spirit of the Lord, and then no matter what comes. Let the lightning flash and the earthquakes bellow, God is at the helm, and I feel like saying but little, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth and will continue his work until he has put all enemies under his feet, and his kingdom extends from the rivers to the ends of the earth.”

“Your neighbor is the man who needs you”

“I have also learned why people work so hard to succeed: It is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is useless. It is like chasing the wind...It is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind.” - Ecclesiastes

 (Gospel Text: Mk 12:28-34)

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,

"Which is the first of all the commandments?"

Jesus replied, "The first is this:

Hear, O Israel!

The Lord our God is Lord alone!

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

with all your soul, with all your mind,

and with all your strength.

The second is this:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

There is no other commandment greater than these."

The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher.

You are right in saying,

He is One and there is no other than he.

And to love him with all your heart,

with all your understanding,

with all your strength,

and to love your neighbor as yourself

is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,

he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God."

And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Modern society is obsessed with the pursuit of love. Sadly, the path of mankind is scattered with the artifacts of failed love: divorces, shattered families, brokenhearted people turning their backs on God, who is their only hope of finding love (1 Jn 4:16). People are hungry for love, but not only can't they find it, they don't truly understand what love means or what they seek. Sadly, many teach a counterfeit "love" that is self-centered and leads ultimately to emptiness and shattered hopes. What the human heart wants is to be taught to experience true Christ-like "agape," self-giving love, but how many are never taught the truth about love? Pope Benedict XVI recognized this void. Therefore, he wrote the first encyclical of his papacy to teach people about God's love for them. He stated: "I wish in my first encyclical to speak of the love which God lavishes upon us and which we in turn must share with others...I wanted here — at the beginning of my pontificate — to clarify some essential facts concerning the love which God mysteriously and gratuitously offers to man, together with the intrinsic link between that Love and the reality of human love" (Pope Benedict XVI, God is Love, 1). Those who experience the love of God (Eph 3:19) must constantly teach others (2 Tm 2:15) to "come to know...the love God has for" them (1 Jn 4:16). Most Christians are drawn to Jesus through love. Therefore, teach the truth in love; teach the truth about love; teach them "God is love" (1 Jn 4:8).

The greatest challenge of the day is: How to bring about a revolution of the heart

“The Gospel lives in conversation with culture, and if the Church holds back from the culture, the Gospel itself falls silent. Therefore, we must be fearless in crossing the threshold of the communication and information revolution now taking place.”  - Pope John Paul II

Scripture Text: 2 Tm 1:1-3, 6-12

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God

for the promise of life in Christ Jesus,

to Timothy, my dear child:

grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father

and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to God,

whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,

as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame

the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.

For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice

but rather of power and love and self-control.

So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,

nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;

but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel

with the strength that comes from God.

He saved us and called us to a holy life,

not according to our works

but according to his own design

and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,

but now made manifest

through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,

who destroyed death and brought life and immortality

to light through the Gospel,

for which I was appointed preacher and Apostle and teacher.

On this account I am suffering these things;

but I am not ashamed,

for I know him in whom I have believed

and am confident that he is able to guard

what has been entrusted to me until that day.

Before Christianity was called Christianity, it was called The Way. In the Scripture text above, Paul, presumably from prison, and soon to die for Christ, is encouraging Timothy to have fortitude, despite The Way being difficult. It is from this thought that I will reflect.

Paul tells us that we have the gifts of: power, love and self-control (v 4). So why are we ashamed to proclaim our faith in the public square? Why, despite living in a country with a freedom of religion, is it uncomfortable to mention God in a conversation? Perhaps we have been more successful at secularizing church and state than we realize.

“The Way” calls us to more than a Facebook status and church on Sundays. “The Way” is a transformative lifestyle, not an after thought. “The Way” is neither glamorous nor comfortable, although we may try to make it so; but if we look at Christianity’s examples, the saints, they were all called to completely die to their selfishness (i.e. St Francis; St Ignatius Loyola, St Teresa of Avila, etc). Is our call to holiness from God any different then theirs? These individuals epitomize power, love and self-control. They were not ashamed of their faith nor did they shy from those who chastised them. To be a saint is to be radical!

My challenge, and every Christian’s challenge, is to be radical.