I was having a drink with my brother the other day and at the end of the evening our talk turned to the joys of having a living Faith, of being a Catholic. It is a source of such constant joy, peace and life purpose it is difficult to know where to start listing all the gifts it brings. But here goes, some I have found. Every time I think of God and things of God and turn to Him in prayer it is a source of the greatest joy. It is like the Fountain of Life that never dies, the goose that lays the golden egg and never ceases to give. Other people press other buttons like drugs, sex, drink, money , power and popularity and friendships. But nothing compares to Faith. On the one hand it is entirely free, there for the asking; on the other hand it has no sad side effects. There is no downers with God only uppers. Another source of joy is the Eucharist which has become the source and summit of the Mystical Life. All good flowing from it and towards it. It is as though God reached down from heaven gave me a great big long hug and set me down again. It is just a pure delight. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the very centre of my life. All my day walks towards it. All my day dances happilly away from it, with the greatest delight. A hug from God; what could be better? In a World gone utterly insane the Word of God is my oldest friend. Scripture sets me straight. My dearest friend in times of darkness giving words of comfort. A wise counsellor in times of confusion. A song of hope in times of challenge. Ever there to lead and guide. The Sacrament of Confession. The bath of light. The New Start. Source of every rebirth, hope and mercy. New Start. Our Dear Holy Mother the Church. Family in a World of Strangers. The Holy Mother of God the Theotokos. A mother to all but so much a mother to me. So needed so cherished, dear companion and friend. Days delight. Star of the sea. Beauty and love combined in a sun of radiance. My dearest hope. The indwelling Spirit, Jesus, ever present in my heart. Friend of my childhood days. My heart's heart. More real to me than I am to myself.Joy of all joys. Burning like a great fire in my very heart. Closer to me than I am to my very self. My dear angel guardians, gathered all around me like golden butterflies. Shield from Satan. Dear friends and counsellors, you who ever urge me onwards and upwards. My very own heavenly football team.
After Mass this morning I met someone who had been at Mass with me and I nodded and said hello and smiled at him. In response he glared angrily at me.. Jesus then said to me, 'Don't let what is in his heart jump into yours!' So I prayed for him and went on my way happilly singing, 'Forever friend'.
This story of AED's friend truly shows, imho, that the lady knew how not to let what was in the guard's heart "jump into hers". But what (or Who) was in her heart obviously jumped into the guard's. Amazing... Maybe, in the '60s, the Church would have been better off with a Eucharistic Revival instead of a council. If that joy was already gone, "opening windows" was not going to bring it back.... oh well, hindsight...
I remember talking to an Orthodox Jewish friend in Jerusalem and he told me the idea of forgiveness does not occur in his Faith. They are taught an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. There is something wonderfully supernatural about forgiveness. Humanly speaking it is a kind of Divine Madness, totally impossible without grace. But so liberating. It enables us to fly like Eagles, tied down by nothing here on Earth, able to fly and fly and fly. Free, free, free.
