29th Sunday Homily. Are we experiencing the Joy?


God created us to be joyful.

Not happy, but joyful. Not an emotion, but an attitude really.
An attitude I believe of hope and gratitude:
hope that when we are not happy, when life seems burdensome, it will get better because God’s love endure;
Gratitude that when life is light, we give thanks to God because God’s love endures.

God created us to be joyful.

Anyone else having a difficult time living that joy?

In what I consider a brilliant podcast, and one of many, Krista Tippet in her “OnBeing” show, had two political commentators from the opposite side of the aisle gather and speak. Not about issues, but about discourse.
Both recognized that what has happened is that it has all come down to winning; People want to win, they think they Have to win; which means people must defeat the other, the adversary and/or enemy.


God created us to be joyful.


Our own egos are the biggest threat to joy.
Egos demand attention. Egos demand that life must go “my” way.
Egos demand that the universe listens to me, and must go according to “my” plans.

It can be blatant through abuse of authority.
Yet a lot of times, it is through those more subtle practices...passive aggressiveness, which shows itself in our gossip and lies, our bickering, manipulations. 


What kind of life does this bring?
It brings division, discord, divorce, dissension, destruction, depression.
It brings loneliness, sadness, suffering.
I think it promotes the many -isms in that afflict our world, our lives, our homes...racism, sexism, ageism, nationalism.     

So much energy we have is given to winning, to defeating, to overcoming…
There is no energy remaining for what is truly important, life.


God created us to be joyful.

Jesus reveals the nature of the Father, of God. It is love. Love being the choice, the desire to see the goodness in others.

Love being the choice the desire to help the other fulfill his and hers’ goodness.

God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit the all powerful, omnipotent one. Creator of all things, both visible and invisible, the almighty one, Loves us.                                          
This all powerful God gave of Godself for us.

The Son gave of himself and because human; walked the earth, healed, preached, forgave; ultimately surrendering in that act of humility and dying on the cross.
                                                     

He did not choose anger, violence, “winning” over those others.
He chose humility, love; and life, true life was revealed.

Our Eucharist sacramentalizes this.                                           
Jesus reveals that true power, true leadership is rooted in humility, it is rooted in love. 
This is the divine model of power. It brings joy.

God created us to be joyful.Joy comes when all win, when all thrive, when all succeed.
Joy comes when there is forgiveness.
Joy comes when there is consensus and compromise.
Joy comes in giving of ourselves.
The Eucharist, given to us by the Father in the Holy Spirit, is the power of Christ.

This is not just about political leaders and church leaders...this applies to us all.
The Leader who is the Father, Mother, Sibling, Friend.
The Priest and Sister, the volunteer, the chairperson in the committees.

I think if we spend time in reflection, contemplating why we do have experience joy… consider our attitude.

What are we seeking? How are we living? Are we living?

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