Why “Because God said so” is a Valid Argument for the True Presence

The true presence of Christ in the Eucharist has been a stumbling block for Christians dating back to Jesus’ own time. For myself the true presence of Jesus’ body and blood in the Eucharist has been something that I have struggled to understand.

Recently I went on a retreat that focused on this question of True Presence, and I spent some time in reflection on this subject. I would like to share with you what I found. The physical reality of Jesus in the Eucharist comes down to two core beliefs. 1) I believe in God the Creator and 2) I believe in Jesus Christ His son. If we believe these two things then we must believe in Jesus’ physical presence in the Eucharist. Let me explain.

God the Creator

Genesis chapter 1 shows God creating the world. As He creates this world, the authors follow a literary pattern of “Then God said… And so it happened.” God said “Let there be light” and there was light. God said let there be life, and so it happened.  What God says, IS. He merely speaks and He is obeyed. God is all powerful, all knowing, and omniscient.  His Word is enough to bring things into existence.

Jesus: God’s Word Incarnate

In the Gospel of John chapter 1 we see John identifying Jesus as the Word of God incarnate. Verse 1 says, “In the beginning there was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Verse 14 goes on to say, “And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, the glory as of the Fathers only Son, full of grace and truth.” Jesus then is God’s Word made flesh. He is the power that creation obeys.

We can see that this is clearly the case when we look at all the miracles Jesus performed. In them, we see a reflection of Genesis. Jesus makes a command and He is obeyed.  Jesus commands the sea in Mark 4:29, “Quiet! Be still!” and it was. In Mark Chapter 2, Jesus commands the paralytic to “Rise, pick up your mat and go home”, and he did. In Mark 5, Jesus says to the dead little girl “Little girl, I say to you arise!” and she did. Jesus raises the dead, heals the blind, the lame, the sick simply by using His Word, the Word of the Father, the Word of which He is incarnate.

Let us let that point steep in our minds for a moment and talk about Jesus the storyteller. Jesus loved to tell stories, called parables, as a way to help his disciples understand greater spiritual truths. Often his disciples did not understand what He was saying, and so Jesus would take them aside and explain to them the allegory. For example, in Matthew 13:36-43 Jesus explains to His disciples the meaning of the parable of the weeds. The parable, in summary, is that a sower sowed good seed into his field, but an enemy sowed weeds into it. When they began to grow the servants asked if they should pull the weeds. The sower said no, to wait for harvest time and then the weeds would be gathered and burnt.

The disciples were confused, and asked Jesus to explain this parable to them. Jesus explained what each element of the story represented.

“He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.” (vs 37-39)

Now, it’s easy to see that Jesus is not using His Godly “Word power” here. He is not being literal. If He were, all evil people would be weeds and Jesus and the Devil would be running around in a field throwing seeds around. After all, when Jesus makes a command He is obeyed.

As we read the gospels we must be on the look out for when Jesus is simply speaking as humans speak, and when he is speaking the Word, the mighty God power of which He is incarnate. So, there seems to be a difference between Jesus speaking AS the Word and Jesus simply speaking words.

Now we get to the difficult subject of Christ’s physical presence in the Eucharist. How can we know that it is so? For this we must turn again to the gospels. The Last supper narratives are very similar in the first three gospels and Jesus’ words are clear; this is my body, this is my blood. Matthew 26:26-27: “Take, eat; this is my body…Drink of it all of you, for this is my blood.” Mark 14:22-23: As they were eating… Take, this is my body…they all drank of it… this is my blood.”  Luke 22:19-20: “And he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them , saying, ‘this is my body which is given for you’… And likewise the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’”

None of the first three gospels offer an explanation of such an extreme statement. Imagine yourself being there. Jesus picks up a piece of bread, turns to you, gives it to you and says, this is my body, and I want you to eat it. Would you not be slightly concerned? Would you not ask for an explanation? No explanation is offered.However, now we must look at John 6:51-58.

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

Here we see these provocative words, much like the last three gospels. Are they literal or allegorical? The Jews certainly took Jesus literally.

The Jews disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

Jesus’s statement was clearly said in such a way as to make the Jews believe He was serious. It caused arguments among those who heard. This would not have been the case if Jesus was clearly speaking in Parable. But perhaps they misunderstood Jesus? Jesus offers this explanation:

“So Jesus said to them, “Truly truly I say unto you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

And if THAT weren’t enough to convince them Jesus was being serious, Jesus goes on to say, quite bluntly:

“For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.”

There is no allegory in that statement. His flesh is food. Period. His blood is drink. The end. Picture yourself in that crowd. Jesus has just said these shocking words, and there is no getting around what He means by them. What do you do? You are Jesus’ follower; you have come to believe that He is the Son of God. Now what?

For many of Jesus’ followers that day marked the last day that they would follow Jesus. “As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him.” (vs 66)

Jesus turned then to his hand chosen, his twelve, and said to them “Do you also want to leave?” Jesus does not take back his words. He sees how people are divided because of what he said, he sees how people are leaving him, yet he does not explain. He does not say “Wait, wait, I didn’t mean that LITERALLY.” He turns to the twelve and waits to see if they accept his teaching. Peter then said the words that, in my opinion, are his crowning glory in the gospel. He looks at Jesus, confused as he must have been by this teaching, and said, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

In essence, Peter says to Jesus, I believe you are who you say you are, and I trust your Word. What an example Peter set. For we too believe that Jesus is the Holy One of God, the Fathers Word incarnate. We know that what Jesus says is Truth, and all creation obeys his Word. Jesus says that the bread of the Passover meal is his flesh, and the wine is his blood. We know that he was not speaking in parable or allegory. Otherwise, why would the Jews have argued and left him? So Jesus was speaking literally, and what Jesus says, IS.

In summary, if we believe in a creator, God who created the world with his Word, and we believe in Jesus His son who is the Word made flesh, then we must believe and trust what Jesus taught. Jesus says the bread and wine of the Passover meal (the Eucharist) are his body and blood, and we are to drink them so that he might abide in us and us in Him (John 6:56). My brothers and sisters in Christ, if we trust in Jesus and believe in his Word, His word must be enough for us.

The Top Five Reasons Why We Should Spend Time in Eucharistic Adoration

Adoration can be an often overlooked activity for most Millennials today. At St. Stephens adoration is offered every weekday at certain times (listed here  http://ststephenslife.com/liturgyandprayerschedule.html) and every first Friday of the month sign up sheets are available in the Narthex to help keep Jesus company all through the night (committing to an hour per person) and into Saturday. Why do we put so much effort into sitting quietly with the Eucharist? Here are my top five reasons why we should spend time in Eucharistic Adoration:

1.       Jesus Desires it

In an Apparition to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Jesus spoke these words, “I have a burning thirst to be honored by all in the Blessed Sacrament.” Does anything else really need to be said? I could end my article right here! Jesus desires that we spend time with Him in Adoration, to love and Honor Him.

"Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you - for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart...don't listen to the demon, laugh at him, and go without fear to receive the Jesus of peace and love..”

~Therese of Liseux

2.       Adoration is the Way to a Truly Personal Relationship with Christ

When we think of building relationships we think of our friends and our spouses or potential spouses. With think of special time devoted to being with the people we love. By devoting an hour a week (or however much we can) to Adoration we make a “date” with Jesus. It is a real opportunity to connect and hear His voice in the stillness.

"My heart feels as if it were being drawn by a superior force each morning just before uniting with Him in the Blessed Sacrament. I have such a thirst and hunger before receiving Him that it's a wonder I don't die of anxiety. I was hardly able to reach the Divine Prisoner in order to celebrate Mass. When Mass ended I remained with Jesus to render Him thanks. My thirst and hunger do not diminish after I have received Him in the Blessed Sacrament, but rather, increase steadily. Oh, how sweet was the conversation I held with Paradise this morning. The Heart of Jesus and my own, if you will pardon my expression, fused. They were no longer two hearts beating but only one. My heart disappeared as if it were a drop in the ocean."

~ St. Pio of Pietrelcina

3.       Jesus Gives us Graces!

The Church teaches that in Eucharistic Adoration “grace is poured upon us as from a fountain” (Sacrosanctum Concilium). While the Polish nun, Blessed Faustina Kowalska was praying before the Blessed Sacrament, our Lord revealed Himself to her. There were pink and white rays of divine light emanating from His Sacred Heat, radiating through the entire chapel. Whenever someone came into the chapel for a visit, these divine rays would go forth from Jesus and encircle the whole world. Jesus explained that each person coming before Him in the Blessed Sacrament represented all of humanity and that every man, woman, and child on the face of the earth experiences a new effect of His goodness, grace, love, and mercy for each Holy hour made in His divine presence.  

"Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament has His hands full of graces, and He is ready to bestow them on anyone who asks for them."

~ St. Peter of Alcantara

4.       In Adoration We can Imitate the Apostles

Jesus’ call to Adoration is the modern day version of Jesus asking His Apostles in faith to go out again and cast their nets on the starboard side. They did not see how it would help, but they did it and pulled in more blessings than their nets could hold. If we are to believe what Jesus told Faustina, and the whole world is blessed by every hour one of us spends in adoration, then we must consider it a priority to be present to Him in the Eucharist as often as we can. It is the simplest way to make a difference in the world as the Apostles did.

(…) In His Eucharistic presence He remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, and he remains under the signs that express and communicate this love: The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits in the sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go meet Him in Adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our Adoration never cease. (CCC 1380)

5.       Adoration Gives us Peace

In Eucharistic Adoration, Jesus Christ our Lord, Our companion, our Divine Physician, our Good Shepherd is made available for anyone to come to Him and praise Him, to pour out our hearts to Him, to be consoled in affliction, to ask for guidance, for favors, for forgiveness. Jesus is physically present to heal us and comfort us. “The Holy Eucharist is the continuation of the incarnation of the Word on earth. It is the literal fulfillment of His words “Behold I am with you all days, even to the end of the world.” It is the fulfillment of His name ‘Emmanuel,’ God is with us. Eucharistic adoration is an affirmation of our faith, appreciation of the gift of the Living Presence of Christ among us, and acknowledgement of our total dependency on Him who says “ I am the vine and you are the branches; whoever remains in union with me will bear much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) It is an expression of our love for Him Who loves us so much that He never wants to leave us and so stays with us Day and night in the Blessed Sacrament. St. John the Baptist cried out “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” By inviting people to Eucharistic Adoration, the pastor of souls, like John, is proclaiming to the people” Behold the Lamb of God, who is worthy to receive unceasing honor, glory, and praise. (Rev 5:12-13)”

Let us pray for the desire to commit to spending time with our Lord in Adoration. By so doing, we will increase our Faith, our love, our Joy, and peace for the whole world.

Humility and Pride: The Unceasing Battle

Sometimes I feel like trying to be humble is like trying to dig out a very strong weed that has made its home in the garden of my heart. I’ll have brought out a whole arsenal of tools, shovels, picks, the works, and I’ll spend ages hacking away at the Pride that has made its home there. When it seems I've done it, like I've pulled it out all the way to the root, I’ll put away the tools and go about my business thanking God for my triumph over pride. Little do I know that, like all weeds, it has already begun to sprout anew. It is so incredibly frustrating to turn my attention back to “the garden” and realize that the weed is as firmly rooted as it’s ever been.
Recently I had an experience like that. My particular brand of Pride is the desire to be preferred. I love to know that I am a favorite, that people seek out my company or advice. It’s been that way ever since I was little. When I was in high school and taking dance classes, nothing motivated me more than being held up as an example for the other kids by my teachers. I absolutely thrilled to be set apart. As I got older though, I realized how unhealthy that attitude was for me. Not that being set apart or praised is a bad thing at all, but to need it to be motivated to work hard I realized was setting me up for failure.

This pride made me very prone to jealousy, which I have always considered a very unattractive trait in a person. So I worked to overcome it. I made myself ask for advice from some of the better dancers in my class. I began to look at myself outside of competition of others, and discovered that I liked who I was becoming. I had pulled the weed. The thing with pride though, is that it will never ever be truly purged from us, as I unhappily discovered this month. I experienced feelings of jealousy, the desire to be preferred, to be set apart, just as badly as when I was in high school. As if all that work I did was for nothing, it was happening all over again.
So what’s the deal? If we can’t be truly rid of our pride how can we ever succeed? Here’s my thought of the week: The key to success is not eradicating pride from our lives, it will always crop back up. The key is recognizing your particular manifestations of pride and constantly, vigilantly looking out for it. Learn about yourself, about what you struggle with. Take time to reflect on what causes you to fall into pride. What are some ways you can overcome it? Most importantly, what is the fear that is the true root of the problem? For me it was fear of failure as a friend, of turning out to be average, of being forgotten. We must bring these fears before Christ and ask him to heal us. For all these fears are unfounded, He alone will fulfill us.
Today let us reflect on how pride causes us to put ourselves before God and before others. In what way do you struggle with Pride? Give yourself time to reflect on the following prayer, and offer to God your fears as they make themselves known. May we grow ever closer to Jesus in holy perfection, one small step at a time.



Litany of Humility (to overcome pride, and for power in prayer)

O Jesus! Meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, R/deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, R/
From the desire of being extolled, R/
From the desire of being honored, R/
From the desire of being praised, R/
From the desire of being preferred to others, R/
From the desire of being consulted, R/
From the desire of being approved, R/
From the fear of being humiliated, R/
From the fear of being despised, R/
From the fear of suffering rebukes, R/
From the fear of being calumniated, R/
From the fear of being forgotten, R/
From the fear of being wronged, R/
From the fear of being suspected, R/

That others may be loved more than I, R/Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, R/
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, R/
That others may be chosen and I set aside, R/
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, R/
That others may be preferred to me in everything, R/
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, R/

Stop to Smell the Roses :Noticing Gods Good World

I have been to the top of Rattlesnake ledge in North Bend several times now. It’s a beautiful hike, full of winding wooded trails and moss covered rocks that glow like emeralds when the sun hits them just right.  On a weekday when few other hikers are present, you can stop and slow your breathing enough to notice the deep silence of the woods pressing around your ears.The trees rustle in the wind and seem to whisper secrets of their creator, if only you could make out their words. No matter how many times I climb to the top, I never fail to be absolutely struck by what awaits me there. The view of the valley and the distant mountains, the winding roads below and the ever moving clouds stuns me to silence, and I ask myself, “Who is the God that made all this, that made me?” The height of the ledge on which I stand helps me to see the enormity of my God, and yet the mountain continues higher! He is bigger and more beautiful than even this!

Making this hike every so often does me good. Not only do I get some exercise but my soul feels refreshed by the awe I experience, by the beauty of God reflected by my surroundings.





 The heavens are telling the glory of God;
    and the firmament[a] proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
    and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
    their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice[b] goes out through all the earth             and their words to the end of the world.

                ~Psalm 19: 1-4~

 Creation has a lot to say! Each day pours forth speech and each night declares knowledge. How often do we hear and understand what it tells us about our creator? The very trees point our gaze towards heaven like a Church spire! The force of our rivers declares the strength of the Lord, a life-giving wildness that sweeps us away. The rain nourishes the land and makes it beautiful, baptizing it for a time when the sun shows its face. On those happy days when we experience the warmth of the sun’s rays, the earth fairly shimmers with glory! The brightness dazzles our eyes and we must cover our eyes with sunglasses to look upon it. 

 I encourage you today to look with new eyes upon Gods good Earth, see how it points us to the infinite love and goodness of our Savior. Creation calls out night and day with knowledge of God, proclaiming His glory! Let us stop for a moment each day, each night, and listen to it’s message. It is in the stars, in the brightness of the moon, the message is in the rain, the grey reminds us what our life is like without the Son. Blossoms of spring bring us the sweetness of Heaven.



Allow creation to lift your thoughts and heart to God. On a beautiful day like today take advantage of the opportunity to recognize the fact that God created such beautiful things, and that the very height of His creation was Mankind. Was you.

A Semester Abroad: A Lesson in Charity

Many students at the University of Dallas participate in the Rome program, possibly one of the most phenomenal study abroad programs out there. As students, we live in close quarters on the Rome campus, sharing each other’s physical, mental, and emotional space for nearly four months. Needless to say, nerves begin to wear a bit thin as time passes, and each person struggles to remain patient and understanding of their peers.

My experience abroad was a life changing event. Not due to anything monumental, although travel in itself can bring about some unique and wonderful experiences. Though I will cherish those memories for the rest of my life, I would trade them in a heartbeat for the lessons in Faith and especially in Charity that I have been given perhaps unwittingly by Sister Catherine Joseph Droste, professor in Theology and Dominican Sister.

 In her class, Western Theological Tradition, we learned about the longstanding Tradition of the Church. That's Tradition with a capitol "T," as she reminded us again and again. Under her teaching I learned not only dates of influential Popes and heretics, but I learned just how much God loves his people. He never left us alone, in all the time since he departed from us here on earth. He guides his Church, and loves her as his Bride.

Upon seeing the Pope for the first time, I was struck by his spiritual beauty, and the beauty of what he represents. As I looked up at him in his balcony at Castel Gandolfo, the scene from the Bible when Jesus was sitting on the Mountain teaching the people came to my head. My heart felt overfull, for not much has changed since then. Christ still teaches us, through Divine Revelation and the representation of his Popes. He never left us alone, we have no reason to feel abandoned by him.

Sister taught us how Aquinas, through both reason and faith, argued for the basic beliefs that we hold today, and provide us with a no nonsense guide to the nature of man and the existence of God, among other things. Faith is not blind belief, despite what critics may tell us, reason and faith blend beautifully as they were created to, to reveal to us our true end: eternal happiness with God.

Sister Catherines' best lessons were not inside the classroom. The lessons closest to my heart were the ones she taught just by being filled with Christs love. She was always present, I don't mean just existing in space, Sister Catherine is actively present, ever ready for a theological debate or discussion, or even just a game of cards or Ping Pong. Her presence brought light and peace into a room, and I could not help but feel tranquil when I was with her. Her compassion and love spilled from her gaze and in her smile. She was never short on advice, and nothing escaped her attention. In a circumstance as tightly wound as the Rome semester, I cannot tell you how valuable her care was to me, and I'm sure to many other students who sought her advice.

One particular instance sticks out to me in my mind. On the second or third day of the semester we were broken into small groups to be shown the layout of the city. Sister was one of the group leaders and showed us how to use the transit and some useful phrases for buying food and finding the bathroom. She was walking down the road when a homeless woman jumped out at her and swung a bulging trash bag at her, hitting her square across her body. Those with her were horrified and unsure of what to do next. Sister dispelled the discomfort by looking at the woman, smiling and saying simply "Excuse me." As though they had done no more then bump into each other by accident. She explaied as we continued, "Many people have had bad experiences with the Church, we must respond with love." I was struck by her simple beauty, and her immense patience and compassion. 

I had the opportunity to spend the day with the Dominican Sisters the day before our last final; it was also the last day we would be able to go into Rome before we headed back to the states. The stress of studying in close quarters with 100 plus students who were also all stressed was really getting to me. I decided to tag along with a couple of girls who were going in the morning to Sister Catherine’s  Convent for Morning Lauds and mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. My plan was go to mass, drop in to St. Peters Basilica for the last time and say good bye, then go back to campus to study, possibly all night. We arrived and Sister was waiting outside for us with her ready smile. After mass we ate breakfast with the other sisters. I was not sure what to expect, I knew some sisters ate in silence, but I knew nothing of the Dominican rules. The breakfast table was anything but silent. There was laughter and jokes and stories. Mother Superior ribbed us to tell her something of Sister Catherine and what she was like as a teacher. There was a genuine joy in that house, a joy that penetrated deep into me, making me feel light for the rest of the day. After breakfast Mother Superior came over to us and thanked us for coming, and I felt that she was truly sincere, not just mouthing words of polite niceties.

Upon learning of my plan to see St. Peters and then study, Sister Catherine offered to let us study at the convent. I was so at peace there, and it was so beautifully quiet that I could not bear to even entertain the idea of returning to campus. I returned after my farewell to St. Peter. Sister let me use the drawing room. I studied there for a few hours, hearing nothing but cars drive by outside and the laughter of the sisters in the other room. Sisters hospitality was so touching to me, having been so far from home for the longest time in my life. She insisted on bringing me lunch, and made me a perfect cup of tea.

At three Sister invited me to come see the Pope on his way into Piazza de Spagna to bless the new crown the statue of Our Lady received there. I readily agreed, I could not tear myself away from the peace I felt when I was with the sisters. Sister Catherine and three others (Sister Joan, Sister Norbert and Sister Ruth) and I all piled onto a bus. We talked of silly things mostly, lighthearted and happy to be on our way to see the Pope. I hadn't laughed so much in a while. We did end up seeing the Pope in his Pope Mobile, just a stones throwaway. The streets were choked with people, or as Sister Norbert would say "Choc-o-bloch." Once he passed us Sister Catherine invited me to join them in a small celebration held by the Poor Sisters of Our Lady, who invite other orders over to celebrate the Immaculate Conception with tea and tarts.

I met so many new and wonderful people there, and despite being the only non-religious in the room, I never felt out of place. Everyone made me feel so welcome and loved. My cup was never empty, the Sisters served with such attention and joy that to refuse would have disappointed them, as though I were robbing them of a chance to serve me. That day will forever stick out in my memory, despite the many wonders I saw that semester. I will never forget their kindness, and the genuine spirit of those whom I met. It was a joy and a gift to realize that there are people in this world who are mirrors of Christs love. I felt bathed in it all day. When I returned to campus nothing could bring me down, though I had a very difficult final to study for, and I got kicked out of my room to sleep in another so that my roommates could study. I was full of the light and happiness that had been poured into me all day.

Sister Catherine and her peers taught me a valuable lesson. In service you receive and simultaneously give Christ's love, and even very small actions have big consequences. Serving others doesn't always have to involve soup kitchens. One of the most meaningful things Sister did for me this semester was just to notice I was upset and ask if I would like to talk. She never pushed me, just asked how I was now and again, telling me in her discreet way that she knew something was going on, and that she cared enough to ask.

Let us strive to be that kind of person for others. Let us not overlook small acts of kindness and compassion! A smile, a sincere thanks, these little things add up and are too often cast aside as not useful, not important. Train yourself up in small acts of Charity and they will be the building blocks for true greatness.

Archbishop’s Holy Thursday Midnight Pilgrimage

I want to invite all the Millennials of St. Stephen’s Parish (or anyone that wants to come!) to come to the Holy Thursday Pilgrimage starting at St. James Cathedral. Hundreds of young people have RSVP’d and it promises to be a moving and prayerful experience. It will be focused on Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, walking to three different churches covering a distance of six miles. This is a good opportunity to meet young adults from all over Seattle, and especially to connect as a group from St. Stephens for the first time. Mass is at 6 at St. James Cathedral but you can drop in on the walk at any time, text HOLYTHURSDAY to 84483 for updates on where everyone is at any given point. If you would like to come and walk with the St. Stephens group email me at daniellejcurl@gmail.com for my information, as there will be a lot of people and I want to be sure to connect with you!

     Here is a greeting from Archbishop Sartain explaining the process. For more information visit the Facebook Event Page.                                                                                                                                                        

St. James Cathedral

Sour Faced Saints and Living a Joyful Life

From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, good Lord, deliver us! -- St. Teresa d'Avila

In this time before Easter I have been thinking a lot about Joy. The best definition I could come to on my own was a deep and powerful sense of happiness. How often do we feel Joy? Or even real happiness? It can be a real challenge in this society! We’re busy, working constantly, and most of all we’re anxious. So many of us are positively drowning in anxiety and worry! We are supposed to be a people of joy, with hearts full of gladness! Instead we are becoming a generation of sour faced saints! 

How often do you run into some one who you would classify as a genuinely joyful person? I know a few, and it is an absolute gift to just be around them. It’s contagious! How can we be more joyful? How can we battle our very real anxieties and worries? The saints are some of the best people to turn to when you don’t know what to do. There are so many of them, one is bound to have experienced something similar to you! So I looked up a few quotes that really spoke to this idea of living a joyful life. Here’s a few ways to avoid being a sour faced saint.

“Christians must lean on the Cross of Christ just as travelers lean on a staff when they begin a long journey.” -- St. Anthony de Padua

Let’s face it, we’re young. We have a TON of life ahead God willing, and we need strength for the journey. Because it is a journey, this path that we are embarking on. If we are already bogged down with anxiety and stress this early in the game, already struggling to find reasons to smile, how on earth are we going to make it? St. Anthony says we must lean on the cross of Christ like a walking stick. What does that mean? Jesus died to save us from our sins. We could not do a single thing for ourselves, and guess what? We still can’t. We are hopeless, weak, incompetent beings without His aid and we need grace humility to recognize that. We need His help!

 Imagine hiking up a mountain in the dark, no trail, no signs. Imagine how many times you trip and fall, you wonder if you’re going the right direction, and wishing you had some sort of weapon to ward off the beasts you are sure are watching you with hungry eyes.  You feel panicked, scared, anxious!

New scenario. You are hiking up a mountain, it’s still dark, but now you have this amazing walking stick. Sure you trip still, but you catch yourself before you hit the ground hard. Since we are Millennials, the stick is high tech! It has a nice bright light attached to the top, not the kind that blinds you to what’s happening in the shadows, but just bright enough to keep you aware of your surroundings. It had all sorts of gadgets that are suited to you, on your particular journey.  Also if you hit a hidden button on the side, a compass pops out. (I hesitate to compare Gods guidance to a GPS, because let’s face it, most of the time we spin around and around trying to figure out which way is north, rather than setting out knowing exactly where we are going. But once you learn to use the tools God gives you, you really begin to make tracks!) It serves as a weapon too, suited to your fighting style and enhancing your unique strengths (Picture beating a creature of darkness with your metaphorical walking stick of Christ) and you make your way with much less anxiety than before. We need to lean on Christ, without Him we get scared, tired, and disoriented. Save your energy, turn to God, He invites you to rest in Him. Also he’s giving out these crazy awesome walking sticks…

“Must you continue to be your own cross? No matter which way God leads you, you change everything into bitterness by constantly brooding over everything. For the love of God, replace all this self-scrutiny with a pure and simple glance at God's goodness.” -- St. Jeanne de Chantal

This made me laugh! I felt as though she were talking directly and purposefully to me. “Knock it off!” she says. Get over yourself and trust God for goodness sake! So much of our suffering we bring on ourselves. So many times we worry about things that are inconsequential. How silly we must look to the father who sees all! When things that we anguish over end up working out in the end, we are so exhausted from our anxiety and giddy with relief that we can’t even stop to give thanks to the Father who cares for our every need! This is wrong! We suffer beforehand from our self imposed anxiety, and then rob ourselves of rejoicing and thankfulness! 

“replace all this self-scrutiny with a pure and simple glance at God’s goodness.”

 Ok, I know what you’re thinking, it’s a lovely sentiment, but a little abstract to really help in day to day life. I challenge you to dig deeper into what St. Jeanne is saying here. Is she asking us to just quit worrying and walk about in an ignorant state of bliss? Certainly not! For the Bible tells us, no requires us, to be prudent and take action to prepare for the future! For example in Proverbs 6:6-8 it says:

Go to the ant, you lazybones;

    consider its ways, and be wise.

7 Without having any chief

    or officer or ruler,

8 it prepares its food in summer,

    and gathers its sustenance in harvest.

Don’t wait to be told! Get to work! We must be wise and think ahead and prepare for the days to come. However anxiety need not overcome our lives snuffing out our joy! We are going to feel stress in this life, no doubt about it. However St. Jeanne reminds us to stop and smell the roses, for we need not have anxiety without cause. Give anxiety its proper place and time. In this moment right now, reading this article, consider what you are anxious about. Now ask yourself “Can I do anything to fix it at this point in time?” If the answer is yes, and you’re anxious because you have procrastinated on a project for work and its due tomorrow, GO DO IT! For heaven’s sake take action against your anxiety! Seriously, it’s due tomorrow, you can read this later… 

If the answer is no, then gently, kindly, put your anxiety aside for later and take a good look at where you’re at. Take a moment to recognize the purity and simplicity of Gods goodness. Who are you with? What are you doing? Are you clothed, fed, sheltered? Are there people you love that you are spending time with? What is beautiful in this moment that you are in? What do you have to look forward to, even if it’s just a cup of coffee later on? Leave room in your life for the beautiful, for the simple and thank God for them. These are the things that make life worth living. If you do not attempt the struggle of putting aside your worries to be dealt with at the appointed time, if you do not fight to notice what is good all around you, than your life will be an unhappy one. Develop the discipline to make time to be happy; because “For the love of God,” no one is going to do it for you.

“It often happens that I wake up at night and begin to think about a serious problem and decide I must tell the Pope about it. Then I wake up completely and remember that I am the Pope.” -- Blessed Pope John XXIII

Ok, but what happens when you are the sole authority figure in a situation? When you cannot confide in anyone, or even really ask advice? How do you find happiness in that? How do you not stress out about that?! 

Gotcha. Trick question. Have you learned nothing so far?! See quote number 1. Pick up your walking stick. Fork in the road? Ask God to show you which one to choose. No discernible answer? Pick one the one that brings you a sense of peace, and trust that God will lead you home, even if you made the “wrong” choice. There are no obstacles for God, there is nothing you can do to screw up His plan. He brings goodness out of every situation. So breeeaaathe. You are never the sole authority figure. You may feel in it alone but that’s a dark lie. God is always there to offer comfort and advice. Read the works of the saints, talk to a favorite priest. Chances are there are many people around you watching you struggle and wishing you would let them help. You are not in this alone. Certainly we need to take responsibility in our life and not rely on others to live life for us, but even Blessed Pope John XXIII had his advisers! What makes you think you can out do the Pope?

“If this is the way You treat Your friends, no wonder You have so few!” -- St. Teresa of Avila 

Have a sense of humor. Our God invented humor! He created everything! So don’t be afraid to stop and notice that something is funny, even in serious situations. Obviously take this advice with a grain of salt, please don’t burst into laughter at a funeral, but do have a chuckle every now and then. Don’t get so uptight with worry and fear that you miss the chance to laugh. St. Teresa made light of her trials with a light hearted jibe at God, we can too. Laughter can help make the best out of uncomfortable situations. 

Let me give you an example. My family and I have the WORST luck with cars, particularly with our dear old (and I do mean OLD) RV. We break down constantly. CONSTANTLY. It doesn’t matter how recently it went into the shop, or how diligently my Dad worked on it, every single trip we would always break down. Well this summer we were going to drive from Texas to California to visit my good friend Hayley and her family. I was really excited, positively bouncing on my seat in anticipation of just GETTING there. We got about a day into the journey when we realized something awful… the Air conditioner had broken. We were driving three miserable, sweaty, days through the desert in the middle of June. Texas never ended, and when it did New Mexico stretched out like a 100 degree scalding sea before us. All the while I was absolutely desperate to reach the promise land, California, with beaches and mixed drinks and quality time with Hayley. 

Finally after sweating half our body weight, we reached the mountains, and we laughed as we joked about how we made our quota of break downs since the AC was out, but that we were still moving! Take that Murphy!! Nope. In the middle of a mountain pass we hit a rock, and lost a tire. As we sat there on the side of the road my Mom and I looked at each other gravely, miserably. After three miserable days cramped in the sweltering space now we can’t make any progress. The tire service was three hours out. We were in the middle of nowhere. We were NEVER going to get to California. There were really only two responses. We could be mad, grump at each other, point fingers at God for ruining our vacation or we could laugh. We laughed. Until tears poured down our faces. And then we popped open a bottle of champagne and celebrated being stuck in an old hunk of an RV, in a beautiful, cool mountain pass surrounded by family. It turned out to be a wonderful memory. And we did manage to reach California.

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.” -- Pope John Paul II

When it comes right down to it we have to remember the big picture. Easter is right around the corner, and its message should fill us with a joy that lasts the whole year! Jesus is alive! Our faith is not unfounded, he beat death and opened the doors to heaven. We have a God who is infinite in compassion and mercy. Nothing we could do would make him stop loving us. 

So when you are going though stressful times, remember the big picture. We are on the difficult road between here and heaven. We are going to be stressed sometimes, trials will come our way, but it all works out in the end! Jesus already won! So pick up your metaphorical walking stick as you set out, stop to notice the beauty around you, link arms with your fellow travelers, and laugh and sing hallelujah! This is life, a beautiful journey full of hardship and trial, but also full of an abiding happiness and joy in our savior. 

Share your trials and triumphs that you have experienced on your journey to eternal happiness!