WAKE UP THE WORLD

“Where there are religious, there is joy,” says Pope Francis in his letter beginning the Year of Consecrated Life. And while he is addressing members of Consecrated Life, his message is for all of us – where there are Christians, there is joy! “We are called to know final_ycl_logo_en_newand show that God is able to fill our hearts to the brim with happiness; that we need not seek our happiness elsewhere …” (II.1) What a challenge! And yet, this is not new! In the first letter of Peter, he tells us to always be ready to account for the hope that is within us (see 1 Pt 3:15), and in the Acts of the Apostles, Luke speaks of how we are impelled to reveal the source of our joy, “for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20)

This is not to deny the trials and difficulties of daily life, “But in all these things we should be able to discover ‘perfect joy,’” says Pope Francis. He continues, “In a society which exalts the cult of efficiency, fitness and success, one which ignores the poor and dismisses ‘losers,’ we can witness by our lives to the truth of the words of Scripture: “When I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Co 12:10)” (II. 1)

Contrary to what we hear day-in-and-day-out, efficiency and success are not our goals; a life of joy inspired by the Gospel and the following Jesus Christ which then radiates and inspires others to experience that same joy, peace, and love for God and one another, this is our goal and one that can clearly change the world, “wake up the world” (II.2) one person at a time, beginning with ourselves.

Success, at least how we are led to believe it is in our current society, is a form of ‘winning,’ at the cost of someone else ‘losing’ or not succeeding as well. We define success by comparisons to others – I am better off than this one but not as well off as someone else; only when I have bested everyone else can I say I am successful. This was also true in the time of Jesus and he turned this belief upside down: “all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Lk 18:13)

Jesus presents success as humility and hospitality (see Lk 14:7-14), simplicity and dispossession (see Mt 19:13-15 and 16-30), generosity (see Mt 20:1-16), and ultimately the recognition of the communion of the human family as the measure by which we will be judged (see Mt 25:31-46). “Radical evangelical living is not only for religious: it is demanded of everyone,” Francis reminds us. (II.2) In this, he calls us to be “experts in communion,” (II.3) this communion which calls us out of ourselves to seek the good, the best, for our sisters and brothers.

“The path of charity open before us is almost infinite … No one contributes to the future in isolation, by his or her efforts alone, but by seeing himself or herself as part of a true communion which is constantly open to encounter, dialogue, attentive listening and mutual assistance. Such a communion inoculates us from the disease of self-absorption.” (II.3) Pope Francis continues, “don’t remain a hostage to your own problems. These will be resolved if you go forth and help others to resolve their own problems, and proclaim the Good News. You will find life by giving life, hope by giving hope, love by giving love.” (II.4)

wakeup callThis advice is so simple. So clear. So true. Yet so utterly challenging and radical it shakes the ground under our feet and cries: “WAKE UP!” Let us be awake and answer the challenge to wake up the world!

Sr. Kelly Connors, pm teaches Canon Law for Saint Joseph’s College Online.

The Signs of Your Times

I am what many would call a “cradle Catholic,” which means I was born and raised in the Faith. (More specifically, I am Byzantine Catholic, worshipping in one of the 21 Eastern Churches in communion with Rome.) My parents took my brother and me to church from the time we were babies, taught us our prayers, and showed us what it means to love God – and to be loved by Him. Like many young adults, I experienced a time of questioning, rebellion, and just plain laziness. Over several years, having found nothing in the world (or within my own self-centeredness) that satisfied, I turned my attention once again to God: that loving Father and merciful Savior to whom my parents had first introduced me. He was always there, patiently waiting for me, and ready to embrace me when I finally shook off the burdens of self-reliance and sought Him once again. Thus began for me a period of slow, steady and powerful conversion, by which God broke open my heart and restored my memory of Him as the One who loves and understands me more than anyone ever could.

The road of conversion is not easy and I am fairly block-headed (I’m speaking in the present tense because conversion is never just an event in the past, but an on-going process). During that initial stirring in my heart, I went on my very first retreat. Every woman there testified to her relationship with God and how He “speaks” to her. Their eyes shone as they recounted stories of opening the Bible to the exact verse that was an answer to their prayers. Whoa. I shyly admitted that God doesn’t speak to me. Ever. But the women all laughed and assured me that He does. “No,” I said pleadingly. “Not a word, or a whisper or a peep. God doesn’t talk to me!” I remember how the women stumbled over their words as they said, “Don’t worry dear. I’m sure He will….” Their quiet comfort was equivalent to being chosen last for a dodge ball team on the playground, but only because the teacher told the other kids they had to take me.

I resigned myself to the fact that God just doesn’t want to talk to me; not because He doesn’t have anything interesting to say, but because I was of no real interest to Him. Several months after that retreat experience I began discerning whether to apply to grad school to study theology. Having never taken a philosophy or theology course in my life, I became convinced this thought was the product of my new-found “religious zeal,” some fantasy I’d dreamed up. God could not possibly be asking me to do this; after all, it’s not like He told me to do it! One day, driving on a winding country road, I came upon an old church with a sign board outside of it. It held the usual information: the pastor’s name and service times. But in the center of the sign was a simple, yet profound message: God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. In that moment, I knew for sure that God was speaking to me! In the midst of my discernment and doubt, God had placed the words I needed to hear right in front of me. Now, I could see it.

All of this is ultimately not about me, or about the cleverness of Protestant pastors and their sign boards, or God’s sense of humor. Rather, it’s about noticing the signs in your life: the words, the subtle messages, and the stirring of God in your own soul. Those women were right. God did speak to me, all the time. I was either not listening or not open to receiving Him in the unexpected. It took a literal sign outside of an old Protestant church on a country road to wake me up.

Today in the Eastern Churches (Catholic and Orthodox) we celebrate the leave-taking of Koshute picthe Feast of Theophany – the Baptism of the Lord. Theophany, means a manifestation of God (a sign of His presence), and at the Jordan on that day God spoke loudly and clearly: After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Mt. 3:16-17. Sometimes God makes a big statement because what He has to say is too important to be subtle. Sometimes it’s because we’re too thick-headed to get it otherwise. Most of the time, though, God speaks to us in ways that are unexpected, and designed to take us out of our comfort zone, our laziness, and our self-centeredness. He speaks through other people (friends and enemies alike); through books, music, art, the Liturgy, and even church sign boards. The point is He is speaking to you. God loves you with an intense and enduring love, and He has powerful, important and loving words for you. Friends, family members, people who love each other speak to each other; but they also have to listen. TODAY, open your heart to the signs of your times, and receive the signs and wonders He desires to share with you.

“Speak, for your servant is listening.” 1 Sam 3:10

Ann Koshute teaches theology for Saint Joseph’s College Online.