Jesus’ Joie De Vivre

Simple really, you and me-- us. Yes, we are Jesus’ joy of living. For God so loved the world that he gave us His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Resurrection is celebrated on Easter Sunday. Jesus conquered death and showed His brothers and sisters that indeed there is an everlasting life. There is an afterlife. And, that there is a Heaven.

We shall see our loved ones in Heaven. That is comforting. That is reassuring. That is something to look forward to. And yet, some people when asked if they would like to be a saint, their response is no. Now, why is that?

If asked, people say a resounding yes if they would like to go to Heaven. Technically, if a soul goes directly to Heaven then that soul is a saint regardless if declared by the Catholic Church or not.

So, people do want to be saints after all. Do you remember the two living saints that we had seen in the recent past? Do you remember Saint Teresa? Who is she?

Saint Teresa of Calcutta or better known as Mother Teresa was an Albanian-born Indian Roman Catholic missionary and nun who devoted her life to helping the poorest of the poor. She founded the Missionaries of Charity in India in 1950, and for over 45 years, she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned and dying.

The other living saint is non other than Saint John Paull II. Who is he? Well, Saint John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. He travelled abroad extensively in an effort to promote peace among nations and religions, and he campaigned against political oppression, violence, and materialism.

A shining moment in his life was when he had visited and had forgiven the person who tried to assassinate him in 1981. This writer had seen him personally when he visited the Philippines in Legazpi City and Metro Manila. Indeed, he had that charisma and resplendent aura around him.

Two honorable mentions are first, Saint of the Internet, Carlo Acutis who was only 15 years old when he died of leukemia, his beatification and his interest in using digital communication to teach others, paved the way for him to be dubbed as “the first millennial saint.” In this beatnik age, we need more saints like him.

Secondly, the other one is Saint Padre Pio. Saint Padre Pio was a 20th-century saint known for his work with the poor and his great piety and humility. He received many spiritual gifts, including the gifts of bi-location, reading of souls, and the stigmata. Many miracles are attributed to him during his life and after his demise.

In order to become a saint we only have to follow Our Loving God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is our Light. He is our Hope. And He is the reason for living. When we have Him in our life we have joy in our life. He is Joy. But, we have to keep in mind that we have to choose Him. There is a conscious effort to be Christ-like.

It is a symbiotic relationship. An agape. Jesus loves us and He will leave the herd of sheep to look for the lost lamb in order to be happy. In much the same way we are joyful if we love Him with all our heart, mind, and soul. Love is joie de vivre.

Another stairway to Heaven is through Mother Mary. A devotion to the Mother of God is a proven shifting gears in life directions. Many apparitions of Mama Mary transformed many lives. She is the Immaculate Heart. She leads us to her Son, the Sacred Heart. Who could actually refuse the intercessions of Your own Mother?

Understandably, the hindrances and obstacles in life zap out our energy. There are numerous soul searching during the hard times. When we follow God we must carry our own cross. No one is exempt from this.

During those times, we question where is God. Philosophers even assert that God is dead. Yes there are atheists and agnostics. Fredrich Nietzsche declared that statement. People asserted His absence when we experience hardships in life. However, it is ironic that we only remember Him in the dark days. When we are happy, we do not thank Him. We take Him for granted. Sadly, there are many prayers of supplication rather than prayers of thanksgiving.

The antidote for a hard-to-please complainer’s demeanor is taking into heart that the sufferings we encounter in life are not punishment rather they are purification of our soul. If our soul is not deserving of going straight to Heaven, we go to Purgatory. There all our sins are purged to make us pure, clean, and desirable-- worthy to join Our Lord Jesus Christ the King in His Kingdom in Heaven.

Special Mention to Father Nono, Monsignor Buentiempo, Rhea and Ate Rani. Any topic recommendation or just want to say hello? Send a message to: Email: jameszcarpio@gmail.com | And, please do subscribe @jameszcarpio on YouTube. Thank You. May you be inspired by The Holy Spirit and God Bless!