G.K. Chesterton

Holy Laughter: Why Joy is Essential in Evangelization

/ chicoinematt

Sponsored: This article is made possible by Catholic Card Game, supporting quality and engaging Catholic content.

“Joy is the net of love by which we catch souls.”
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Let’s be honest: no one wants to join a movement that looks miserable. The early Christians didn’t spread the Gospel by groaning through Galilee. They were known for their joy. Their laughter echoed off prison walls. Their eyes shone even in persecution. Joy wasn’t just a bonus. It was the proof that the Good News was actually good.

Too often today, evangelization is reduced to debates, dour sermons, or social media posts that read like divine cease-and-desist letters. But what if the most powerful tool for evangelization isn’t argument, but amusement? What if, instead of trying to be taken seriously all the time, we followed the advice of Saint Philip Neri: “Let us make fools of ourselves from time to time, and thus see ourselves, for a moment, as the all-wise God sees us.”

Saints Who Smiled: Philip Neri and the Patronage of Joy

Saint Philip Neri, the patron saint of joy and humor, didn’t see laughter as a distraction from holiness. He saw it as a highway. He once shaved half his beard before a meeting—on purpose. When someone asked him if they could wear a hairshirt as penance, he replied, “Only inside out and over your cassock.” Why? Because holiness isn’t a performance. It’s not for show. Joy keeps us real. And being real is where conversion starts.

Neri understood a basic truth: solemnity is not the same as sanctity. Joy is contagious. Humor is disarming. If you want to open someone’s heart to Christ, a well-timed joke might work better than a lecture.

I’ve found this to be true even in my own life. I started The Simple Catholic blog not just to catechize, but to reconnect with joy—mine and yours. In a world that takes itself too seriously, Philip Neri reminded me that sanctity often looks like someone who doesn’t need to prove anything. Someone who knows they are loved.

Joy doesn’t have to be a solo act either. Sometimes, it looks like sitting around the table with friends or youth group teens, playing The Catholic Card Game and belly-laughing at absurdly holy prompt-answer combos. It’s in those moments of lightness that hearts open naturally to something deeper. Evangelization often starts with connection, and joy is one of the strongest bridges.

Laughter as a Leap of Faith

G.K. Chesterton said it best: “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.” That’s not a cute metaphor. It’s spiritual physics. When we cling to our pride, our reputation, our need to look “put together,” we sink. But when we surrender all that heaviness and laugh—even at ourselves—we rise. We fly.

Laughter is a leap of faith. It says, “I’m not afraid.” I’m not afraid to be silly, to be wrong, to be humbled. Why? Because I trust that God is good, and that He delights in me, even when I look ridiculous. That kind of joy is attractive. It evangelizes without preaching.

Chesterton warns us that “pride is the downward drag of all things into an easy solemnity.” It’s easy to be heavy. It’s much harder to be light. But that’s exactly what Jesus calls us to: “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). When we carry that lightness—spiritual joy—we become walking invitations to the Gospel.

I recently experienced this with my own family during a game night. We cracked open Council at Daybreak, a fast-paced Catholic twist on the classic Mafia-style social deduction game. Within minutes, we were laughing, accusing, defending, and yes, trying to uncover the heretic in our midst. What struck me wasn’t just how fun and easy it was to learn, but how naturally it brought out joy, discussion, and connection across generations. Games like this are a subtle but powerful way to build community. And in doing so, evangelize with joy.

The Gospel Is Not Grim: Evangelization with a Smile

Somewhere along the way, many Christians bought into the idea that the holier you get, the more serious you must become. As if heaven is a long staff meeting where nobody laughs, and all the saints just nod solemnly at one another over harp music.

But that’s not the faith we profess.

We follow a God who turned water into wine at a party. A Savior who welcomed children and praised mustard-seed faith. Jesus didn’t need to wear a sign that said “Messiah.” People were drawn to Him because He exuded something irresistible: joy.

When we share the Gospel without joy, we’re not offering the whole truth. As Venerable Fulton Sheen put it, “A divine sense of humor belongs to poets and saints.” If we truly believe in the Resurrection—if we really believe death has been defeated—then shouldn’t we be the most joyful people around?

Evangelization isn’t just about information. It’s about invitation. And no one RSVPs to a joyless dinner party.

Joy is a Witness the World Can’t Argue With

Mother Angelica once said, “I try to laugh a lot, because life is funny, and everybody today is too serious. The only tragedy in the world, my friend, is sin.” That’s the secret. Joy doesn’t ignore suffering—it transcends it. Christians aren’t joyful because life is easy. We’re joyful because God is with us in it.

Laughter reminds us that we’re not God. That’s a relief, by the way. It grounds us in humility and reminds others that this whole Christianity thing isn’t about perfection. It’s about transformation. When we laugh at ourselves, we’re giving others permission to breathe. To be themselves. To let grace in.

Saint Teresa of Avila said it plainly: “God save us from gloomy saints!” And she was right. Gloom doesn’t glorify God. Joy does. Joy is what makes people stop scrolling and ask, “What’s different about them?”

The world has plenty of cynicism. It’s drowning in it. What it needs is light. Joy. A people who know the punchline of the story: that Love wins, and they live accordingly.

A Joyful Challenge for You and Me

So here’s the challenge: if you want to evangelize, smile more. Tell a joke. Share a meme. Laugh at your own awkwardness. Tell the truth in love, but make sure it’s the joyful truth.

Evangelization doesn’t always mean street preaching or quoting catechism paragraphs. Sometimes it’s simply being the kind of person others want to be around. The kind of person whose laughter gives others permission to hope.

Maybe it even starts with a game night. A box of cards. A mystery heretic. A round of laughter that turns into a moment of grace.

After all, “Rejoice in the Lord always,” Paul tells us in Philippians. “Again I say, rejoice!” That’s not a suggestion. It’s a command from a man who wrote those words from a prison cell. Joy isn’t naive. It’s powerful. It’s subversive. And it’s “resurrection-colored” hope in a Good Friday world.

So go ahead. Be holy. Be honest. But for heaven’s sake, be funny too.

Thanks again to today’s article sponsor! Visit Catholic Card Game for fun Catholic games to play with your friends and family.

Thank you for sharing!

Finding Magic in the Mundane

/ chicoinematt

The Existential Cubicle

What am I doing here? Is this all to life? These thoughts occasionally cross my mind as I sit in my work cubicle. Struggling with the daily routine of work and family life, my mind tends to wander off toward fantasy. I think part of it stems from a desire to escape my mundane situation. Reading fantasy allows me to attain that escapism while remaining in the comfort of my living room.

A Moment of Literary Insight

After putting my children to bed and waiting for my wife to return from errand-running, I had some free time to read. I picked up Chesterton’s Orthodoxy and spent about twenty minutes navigating his semi-autobiographical work. Suddenly, I stopped at a passage from his fourth chapter entitled The Ethics of Elfland. The great English wordsmith writes, “I have said that stories of magic alone can express my sense that life is not only a pleasure but a kind of eccentric privilege” (Orthodoxy p. 54).

Life as an Eccentric Privilege

In other words, we shouldn’t merely enjoy life via self-gratification, but rather view our existence on this earth through the lens of privilege—life is a free gift. My children point to this reality, often lost as we reach adulthood, that life should be joyful. We should revel in the strangeness and idiosyncrasies of the universe, not quake at the seeming despair when we encounter things and events that do not fit our controlled world.

The Fallacy of Repetition

On the other end of the adult’s worldview lies perceiving re-occurrence as a bad thing or something to avoid. Chesterton put it this way:

“All towering materialism which dominates the modern world rests ultimately upon one assumption; a false assumption. It supposes that if a thing goes on repeating itself it is probably dead; a piece of clockwork. People feel that if the universe was personal it would vary; if the sun were alive it would dance. This is a fallacy even in relation to known fact…A man varies his movements because of some slight element of failure or fatigue…For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, ‘Do it again’ to the sun; and every evening, ‘Do it again’ to the moon” (Orthodoxy pp. 50-51).

Rediscovering Wonder and Awe

Wonder and awe stem from the ability to be amazed at creation even if it’s the hundredth or thousandth time viewing a starry night or noticing a bird gathering straw for her nest. Children possess the magic of living—the ability to love life despite doing the same activity over and over again. Monotony, dullness, and lethargy do not enter the vocabulary of youth. Chesterton reminded me that I need to return to my youth. I need to jettison the false assumption that repetition is inherently bad and variety alone leads to life!

Finding Magic in Reality

I need not enter the Pevensie’s wardrobe, or a supernatural rabbit hole, or even run headfirst toward a brick-wall on an English train station between platforms 9 and 10 (although I did visit this fictional landmark during my trip to Europe 😊). Instead, I can encounter magic in this life by visiting my children’s closet as I gaze at the array of Lego men and women scattered in an apparent random order on top of, within, and under the closet shelves. What adventures are they going on today?

I can also lower myself to the level of my youngest son as his eyes open with joy at the sound of the door opening. He enjoys leaving in the morning as he gets to meander outside and gaze at the wheels of my car. How incredibly simple, yet fulfilling would life be if I approached every day as a magical experience?

Embracing the Divine Perspective

The life of children is akin to that of our Divine Creator—they do not get bogged down by the monotony [apparent monotony that is] in this world. I ask for the Holy Spirit to enliven my soul to view any dullness and routine in my life as a gift!

“Perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, ‘Do it again’ to the sun; and every evening, ‘Do it again’ to the moon”

Thank you for sharing!

Finding the Creative Spirit of God in Play!

/ chicoinematt
playing

Editor’s Note: Post originally published on May 5, 2017.

According to G.K. Chesterton, “It might reasonably be maintained that the true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground” (From the essay Oxford from Without).

This quote packs so much theology.

What stands out most to me in Chesterton’s thought is the word true. I think that while earthly life consists of toil and repeated work, God planted the seeds for true life to flourish in our earthly lives and hopefully culminating in the heavenly playground if we achieve sainthood. Let me explain.

The Sabbath is Made for Man

The opening chapter in Genesis charts out the creation of the world by God. Creation occurred in six days [periods of time] and God rested on the seventh day. Why does God need rest? Is he not outside of time and space—thus He would never tire? The real purpose of the institution of the Sabbath rest on Sunday is because God knows that humanity needs time for rest and recreation! True joy and creativity oftentimes comes from our resting and recreational activities. Last summer I read a biography about St. John Paul II and it talked at length about the saint’s love of skiing. The late pope encountered God and recharged himself to continue his papal duties through this playful activity.

jpii skiing

Finding Fulfillment on Sunday

God’s creative genius established the holiness of resting on the Sabbath. In Catholicism, the Mass represents the ultimate fulfillment of the Jewish Sabbath. According to retired Pope Benedict XVI’s book, Spirit of the Liturgy, the liturgy is a “playful thing” where people are in the presence of God, playing like children without aiming to achieve an end. Playing games with loved ones can generate a similar joy to that experienced during a Catholic liturgy, where the Eucharist is received weekly. Board games, lawn games, basketball, football, or soccer are all irrelevant as the creative activity of play itself is what brings joy.

Work and toil certainly has its place in our earthly lives. It can even serve as a means to holiness. Yet, we should not forget the importance of play as a means to holiness. Chesterton’s words are like a theological medicine that thaws my impatient heart, especially since I tend to be more serious. This week my challenge to myself is to look for God’s creative Holy Spirit in playing with my young children!

Related Links

3 Ways I Encountered God on a Playful Thursday!
3 Ways You Can Actually Get Rest through Play
The Importance Of The Theology Of Play For Adults
Thank you for sharing!

How the Test of Happiness is Gratitude!

/ chicoinematt

thank you and gratitude

Editor’s Note: Post originally published on April 28, 2017.

This week I was researching for an article I am writing about G.K. Chesterton and I came across this gem of a quote from Chapter 4 of his work Orthodoxy. He states, “The test of happiness is gratitude.” There are few phrases that make me pause when I am reading and this was one of them. I have thought about this quote a lot today and figured it would be a good message to pass along.

Gratitude is defined as the quality of feeling or being thankful. Why a feeling may be arbitrary and susceptible to change “being” thankful has a more lasting feature to it. Because of this, I want to make this slight change to Chesterton’s quote—the test of happiness is [being] thankful!

Chick-fil-a Harnessed the Power of Gratitude

According to a recent article I read online about the success of the restaurant chain Chick-fil-a, the power of saying “thank you” is quite tangible. The main thrust of the article states that Chick-fil-a’s leadership stresses the importance of manners and expressing gratitude towards customers in their employee training. As an occasional customer of Chik-fil-a, I can attest to the superb customer service and appreciation among workers when I visit their establishment.

Thanksgiving and the Eucharist

Thankful for the Eucharist

“We must not separate our life from the Eucharist. The moment we do so, something shatters.” —Saint Teresa of Calcutta

On a more profound level, the Catholic Church has been proclaiming Chesterton’s message “The Test of Happiness is Gratitude” for over 2,000 years. In fact the most important thing Catholics participate in on a weekly or daily basis— the Mass— is centered on thanksgiving! The sacrament of the Eucharist, housed within the Mass, along with being the source and summit of the Catholic faith, actually is a transliteration of the Greek word eucharistia which means “thanksgiving”. I always come out of Mass being happier than when I came in. It is nice to have a reminder of thankfulness to re-orient myself if I stray away from this mindset during the week.

I believe that the connection between being thankful and the Catholic Mass and the success of Chick-fil-a is not a coincidence. God knows that mankind can only be truly happy when experiencing life as a gift. So to conclude, I want to thank all that have read my posts and for anyone who is reading my writing for the first time. I thank God for my faith, family, and friends. I hope you find at least three things to be thankful of today after reading this. Thank you again!

Related Links

The Power of Gratitude

Mathematics of Living a Joyful Life

Why Gratitude is Our Oxygen

Learning Gratitude from G.K. Chesterton – Jeff Miller

Thank you for sharing!

Rocks, Monkey Socks, and Toy Cars—Joy Found on a Summer Morning!

/ chicoinematt

Simple Joys

 

 

 

 

Editor’s Note: This post originally published on June 7, 2019.

“I love the simple things in life. They tend to get overlooked.” This anonymous quote captured the entire theme of a morning at my home last week. Waking up early, my children itched for an opportunity to play outside and enjoy the warmth of the sun before the humidity set in.  Almost immediately, they rushed to the edges of my backyard to collect and play with rocks.

My son and daughter definitely received their geological glee from me—for a period I seriously considered majoring in geology! Noticing the different colors, sizes, textures, and hardness of the stones captivate their attention. If left to their own devices my oldest children would remain outside for hours and bring inside cartons of rocks.

Joy of a child

Joy of a Child

Along with my children’s joyful “jewel” collecting, their imagination was in full force as well. Albert Einstein once declared, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” I most certainly need to pay more attention to my kids’ imaginative play as my thirst for knowledge has been stymieing my joy lately. The creative juices flowed greatly in the mind of my daughter. “Look dad!” she exclaimed, “Look at this. Taken aback at what I saw I asked, “What are you doing?” Proudly she exclaimed, “I am a monkey! Look at my monkey-socks!” She covered her feet with a pair of garden gloves I bought for her at the local home improvement store. Immediately, a grin spread across my face. Next, I just laughed—not a forced chuckle, but a natural, healthy and joyful guffaw!

Treasuring Toy Cars

Toys Cars

 

 

 

 

 

The final thing that brought joy to me that summer morn was my youngest son’s continual love and obsession over his toy cars. Being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in late 2017, we discovered that his obsession and impulsive playing with toy cars is part of what makes him unique. Carrying a plastic vehicle at all the time provides him relief amidst daily stresses of toddler life and living with rambunctious siblings. No less than a couple hundred times do we hear our two-year old say, “A car, a toy car! Look a car!” His enthusiasm and unbridled joy at the simplicity of a toy car reminds me of a spectacular point G.K. Chesterton made in his masterpiece Orthodoxy. He stated,

Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.

The Joy of Daily Work

Meaningful Work

 

 

 

 

 

Repetition, work, and habits don’t infringe on our ability to grow. On the contrary, finding joy in the simple matters of life and completing “monotonous” tasks regularly with joy instill true life in us. Days where I focus on my vocation as a husband and father with love are the days where my vocation does not turn into drudgery. The same is true when it comes to my daily work.

My dad displays this simplicity and adherence to his vocation as husband and father in an exceptional way. Rarely, did I hear him complain about his family duties. Weariness of parenting did not see to wear on his face—at least from what I remember! In terms of spiritually living, my father is “younger” than myself. This is because his obedience and joy in his vocation is anchored in the Pre-Existent God more deeply than my spiritual life is at currently!

I will leave you today with a few simple and profound quotes that I hope with awaken or sustain your spiritual life. I hope you discover the simple joy that children seem to naturally possess.

“What I know of the divine sciences and the Holy Scriptures, I have learned in woods and fields. I have no other masters than the beeches and the oaks.” —Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

“Laugh and grow strong.” —Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Related Links

Finding Joy–My Accidental Discovery of St. Philip Neri

Cardboard Boxes, Zoo Animals, and Creative Joy!

How to Develop a Thankful and Joyful Mentality— Be Grateful for Everything!

 

Thank you for sharing!

10 Reasons Why Catholics Should Always be Thankful

/ chicoinematt

bill murraygiphy.gif

 

 

 

 

 

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 26, 2017.

G.K. Chesterton stated in Christmas and Salesmanship, “Gratitude, being nearly the greatest of human duties, is also nearly the most difficult.” As a father I know all too well how difficult it is sometimes for my children to express gratitude to me. On the other hand, as a husband I struggle to tell my wife how thankful for all that she does. Not only do I need to improve on my attitude of gratitude within my marriage,  I need to focus on having a thankful mindset in my spiritual life and relationship with God. In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday, I came on my top ten reasons for why I am thankful for Catholicism!

eucharist 2

Eucharist

The Bread of Life Discourse in John 6 has Jesus preaching the most profound truth in the history of the universe. Jesus said, I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (John 6:51). The Catechism of the Catechism Church calls the Eucharist the “source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324). Every Sunday I experience the miracle of being able to receive the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ!

holy trinity.jpg

Holy Trinity

God is love. Love entails relationship. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is the Mystery that God is a Communion of Three Persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I am grateful for the revelation of this truth. I am able to ponder the depth of its truth without it growing stale, it always remains fresh and profound!

Incarnation

The most solemn moment of the Nicene Creed occurs when we profess: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.” At this point, we bow to recognize the amazing fact that God became a mere human. St. Athanasius had this to say about the Incarnation, “God became man that man might become God” (On the Incarnation). I am thankful that God sent his only Son-Jesus Christ—to become a bridge for humanity to access God.

confession first aid.jpg

Confession

I have experienced real, tangible, and concrete healing when I receive God’s healing grace’s in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Through frequent reception of Penance, I have been able to overcome sins that dominated me in my youth. I have also been able to recognize sins that hid in the background previously. As a result, Confession provides me with graces to root out sinful tendencies and to grow in holiness.

divine mercy trust in you.jpg

Divine Mercy

While I experience Divine Mercy in the Sacrament of Confession, I want to treat this topic as a separate point. I used to view God as a wrathful Judge. My scrupulosity leads to a judgmental mentality—that I struggle with still today. However, through the intercession of the Divine Mercy saints of the 20th century such as St. Maria Faustina, John Paul II, Maximilian Koble, and Mother Teresa my awareness that God is a Merciful and Just Judge has increased!

 Mary

My relationship with our Blessed Mother has improved over this past year. In celebration of the centenary anniversary of the Apparitions at Fatima, my wife and I consecrated ourselves to Jesus through St. Louis de Montfort stated, “[Mary] is the safest, easiest, shortest and most perfect way of approaching Jesus and will surrender themselves to her, body and soul, without reserve in order to belong entirely to Jesus” (True Devotion to Mary). I learned that Mary is the greatest witness and advocate for God. Her desire is to lead ll her children to Jesus Christ.

 Saints

Along with Mary, the saints in Heaven provide a model for me to follow to help me grow in holiness. Reading about the lives of my favorite saints [St. Athanasius, John Paul II, St. Amelia, St. Bernadette, St. Pius IX, St. Maria Faustina, and St. Maximilian Koble—to name a few] helps provide concrete examples of what holiness looks like and how I am able to emulate their trust in God in my own life.

 Hope

I am thankful for the hope that the Catholic Church teaches and provides me daily. Attending Sunday Mass, going to Eucharistic Adoration, meeting with my monthly Catholic men’s group, and teaching Religious Education at my parish are ways that I receive [and pass on] hope. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1843, “By hope we desire, and with steadfast trust await from God, eternal life and the graces to merit it.”

catholic church.jpg

Sacred Tradition

I am a history buff. In fact, I earned my undergraduate degree in history. The Catholic Church is a storehouse and guardian of 2,000+ years of history and tradition. While lesser important traditions pass away and give way to more appropriate devotional practices that fits the needs of the faithful, Jesus Christ knew that stability and consistency of truth is essential in mankind’s relationship with God.

The Catechism tells us in paragraph number 96-97,

What Christ entrusted to the apostles, they in turn handed on by their preaching and writing, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to all generations, until Christ returns in glory. ‘Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of the Word of God’ (DV 10) in which, as in a mirror, the pilgrim Church contemplates God, the source of all her riches.

I am thankful that Jesus instituted the priesthood and office of the papacy to have truth passed on through the ages.

Beauty

The final fact about Catholicism in my top ten list that I am grateful for is the beauty I experience. Catholic cathedrals and basilicas are places where I have experienced beauty in an ineffable way. During the celebration of the Liturgy, I experience the beauty of God in both song and sight. The icons in my local church allow my prayers to be better united to God. I am pointed toward higher realities when I meditate with the aid of sacred song and holy images.

icon of jesus.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lord, we thank you
for the goodness of our people
and for the spirit of justice
that fills this nation.
We thank you for the beauty and fullness of the
land and the challenge of the cities.

We thank you for our work and our rest,
for one another, and for our homes.
We thank you, Lord:
accept our thanksgiving on this day.
We pray and give thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.

R: Amen.

Related Links

Catholics, Be Thankful Always and Everywhere

Why I’m Thankful To Be Catholic

Announcing 10 Catholic Role Models to be Thankful for!

Thank you for sharing!

3 Rest Stops for Our Pilgrimage Towards Holiness

/ chicoinematt

sleep-better.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the National Sleep Foundation, humans are considered the only mammal that willingly delays sleeps. For more interesting facts about sleep here is a link: https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/25-random-facts-about-sleep. Sleep is an issue that pervades all of human life. As a father to four young children, I oftentimes determine the success [or failure] of a day over whether my children successfully or unsuccessfully take their scheduled nap!

The stresses of life, dealing with sick family members, and limited sleep due to my new work schedule drain me on a daily basis. The exhaustion last week became so overwhelming that I almost gave up hope. But the thing about tiredness is that is oftentimes causes people to forgot and lose strength to continue.

On the verge of wallowing in a lake of lassitude, I suddenly remembered the words of Bishop Paul Swain that he said at a confirmation Mass. Specifically referring to the sacrament of confirmation, but I believe his words apply to the rest of the sacraments as well, the successor of St. Peter said, “Sacraments [the sacrament of confirmation] are not the end or graduation of the Catholic life, rather sacraments act as theological rest stops to give us strength.”

In the past, I associated the sacraments as offensive weapons against sin, however, recently I have come to view the sacramental system as a means to shield and sustain oneness from the endless assault of the Enemy’s attacks. Below I wish to explore my experience with how the sacraments of confession, Eucharist, and marriage help provide spiritual rest for my pilgrim journey.

rest stop.jpg

Confession Crossing

Growing up I remembered the summer vacations my family and I went on involved a ton of driving. If the rambunctious nature of sons is any indication of what I was like as a kid, I imagine my parents looked forward to taking a pause in the long drive to allow my siblings and I to run out our energy. As a parent, I learned that a periodic rest stop sometimes solves a fussy situation in the car. Pope Francis once declared, “Always remember this: life is a journey. It is a path, a journey to meet Jesus. At the end, and forever. A journey in which we do not encounter Jesus is not a Christian journey.”

Too many times I forget that life is more of a pilgrimage—toward Heaven. Life is not simply a tourist attraction for me to amass as much pleasurable and exciting experiences as possible.

Without Jesus as the focus of my journey I lean toward being a tourist of the world instead of a pilgrim in the world. Confession is the sacrament that provides me an opportunity to rest and receive God’s graces. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “This sacrament reconciles us with the Church. Sin damages or even breaks fraternal communion. The sacrament of Penance repairs or restores it” (CCC 1469.

Recently, I received the sacramental graces of the medicine box. I felt a large burden lifted from me and have the strength to be able to encounter the busyness of life with a calm assurance that God will sustain me even during tough situations.

jesus-bread-of-life (1)

Eucharist— Fuel for the Road Ahead

While Confession heals the wounds of my sins, the sacrament of the Eucharist provides me nourishment and strength for the journey for the rest of the week. In the book of Exodus, God listened to the plea of his people, traveling in the wilderness, a plea for food to sustain them during the tumultuous journey. As amazing and unmerited the gift of manna in the Old Testament, Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist as a fulfillment of this prefiguration in Exodus. Jesus decisively teaches us in John 6,

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.48I am the bread of life.49Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;z50this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.51I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.

After receiving the body and blood of Jesus Christ every Sunday Mass, I gain the strength to make it through the trials of this world. According to the Catechism paragraph 1391, “The principal fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus. Indeed, the Lord said: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”226 Life in Christ has its foundation in the Eucharistic banquet: “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.”

Reading this passage makes me reflect on the popular adage, “you are what you eat”—receiving Jesus in this sacraments helps transform us into the best [i.e. most Christ-like] versions of ourselves!

Matrimony—Momentum for the Journey

G.K. Chesterton is considered a king of wit and satire—especially among Catholics. His quotes on marriage frequent social media. Ironically, I actually shared the below memes on Instagram recently!

chesterton marriage meme1.jpg chesteron marriage meme2.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wait! “I thought this article was about theological REST STOPS for our pilgrim journey—not holy hand grenades,” one might say. I agree with Chesterton, oftentimes marriage is like going to war—sins of pride, impatience, anger, lust, greed, and sloth [to name just a few]—become casualties. However, war does not always involve active or constant movement. Rather, a large part of war entails strategizing against the enemy—and that involves resting and planning. The sacrament of marriage is a gift from God that allows spouses to acquire the graces of rest and perseverance.

holy hand grenade.gif

 

 

 

 

 

Marriage as a sacrament involves total commitment towards one’s spouse. Husband and wife do not split responsibilities as in a 50/50 contract. Instead, marriage is a covenant—an oath that involves 100/100 dedication of the husband toward the wife and vice versa. Honestly, I sometimes struggle to view marriage this way. Throughout periods in my wife and I’s marriage either she or I would have to “more time and effort” than the other “put in”. Keeping a tally sheet and IOUs does not lead to a fruitful marriage. Only by donning a servant mentality did I truly receive the sacramental graces of matrimony to acquire true peace and rest.

Rely on the Sacraments for Rest!

To close, I wish to again ponder the words of Bishop Paul Swain, “Sacraments [the sacrament of confirmation] are not the end or graduation of the Catholic life, rather sacraments act as theological rest stops to give us strength.” Do you take advantage God’s oasis’ for holiness? If you are married do you take time to see God work in your spouse? Is there any ways you may be able to deepen your participation in the sacrifice of the Mass? Let us use the rest of Lent as a time to grow in holiness and thank God for the gifts of the sacraments—theological rest stops for our pilgrim journey!

Thank you for sharing!