Stop with Christ.

The evangelist noted that people ran all over the area. They took off – and continue to take off. They were running around looking for healing. Even today, they run after doctors, ambulances, and pharmacies, after bioenergy therapists, and ointment makers, they start looking for the right diagnosis and effective medicine. And besides, not only look for medicine, but also to look for better living conditions, to look for a good job, material success, and profit; they are running to the point of having a heart attack – and often this is the only result of their running.

Running, chasing, and flying – have become the disease of modern man, and this disease destroys him more effectively than all other diseases. The reason the people of the Gospel started – was the meeting with Christ; they converged where they detected his presence. We are freed from such running. We can detect Christ’s presence, alive and personal, at every step, within reach. We observe how people in cities, and also in rural settlements, in their daily running, almost directly touch the church, which is open for them right next to the road, on the street, but they pass indifferently around the open door; do these people relieve in the real presence of Christ in this place? It would certainly be no loss to tarry for two or three minutes; on the contrary, it would be a profit. The call does not reach us then: Come to me, all you who are burdened and persecuted… ? In such a meeting of his open heart with our faith and trust, he would become for us at least to some extent a Counselor, our help, an exhalation, satisfaction and, perhaps, even healing – and our pursuit would not be so dramatic or even tragic. The world-famous psychologist (V. Frankl) says that the tragedy of today’s man is that he cannot stop himself…

After all, it is not only about stopping at the right moment in the church (or in its vestibule); perhaps it is necessary to somehow slow down our pursuit due to a moment of reflection during prayer (a tithe of the rosary, a passage from the Holy Scriptures, an evening examination of conscience) when the mind can focus on where the final limits of our pursuit are. Blessed is the opportunity to stop with Christ at the moment of St. reception, where I establish intimate contact with him without nervously running around the whole area

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Who is God? 

 – Fact the fact of God’s existence is so obvious, both throttle ugh creation and through the conscience of man, that the Bible calls an atheist a “fool” (Psalm 14:1). Therefore, the Bible never tries to prove the existence of God, rather it assumes His existence from the very beginning (Genesis 1:1). The Bible reveals the nature, character, and work of God.

Who is God? – Definition

Right-thinking about God is of the utmost importance because a false idea of ​​God is idolatry. In Psalm 50:21, God admonishes the wicked with this accusation: “you think that I am like you.” For starters, a good definition of God is “the supreme being; Creator and Ruler of all that is; He “who is” perfect in power, goodness, and wisdom. “

Who is God? – His nature

We know that certain things are true about God for one reason: in his mercy, he has taken care to reveal some of his attributes to us. God is a spirit, immaterial (John 4:24). God is one, but exists as three Persons – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17). God is infinite (1 Timothy 1:17), incomparable (2 Samuel 7:22), and unchanging (Malachi 3:6). God is everywhere (Psalm 139: 7-12), knows everything, and has all power and authority (Ephesians 1, Revelation 19: 6).

Who is God? – His character

Here are some of God’s attributes that are revealed in the Bible: God is just (Acts 17:31), loving (Ephesians 2:4-5), true (John 14:6), and holy (1 John 1:5). God shows compassion (2 Corinthians 1:3), mercy (Romans 9:15), and grace (Romans 5:17). God judges sin (Psalm 5:5,6), but also offers forgiveness (Psalm 130:4).

Who is God? – His work

We understand God better from his works, because what God does results from what he is. Here is an abbreviated list of God’s work, past, present, and future: God created the world (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 42:5); actively supports the world (Colossians 1:17); carries out his eternal plan (Ephesians 1:11), which includes the redemption of man from the curse of sin and death (Galatians 3:13-14); draws people to Christ (John 6:44); he brings up his children (Hebrews 12:6); and will judge the world (Revelation 20: 11-15).

Who is God? – Relationship with Him

God became incarnate in the person of the Son (John 1:14). The Son of God became the Son of man and is therefore the “bridge” between God and man (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5). Only through the Son can we have our sins forgiven (Ephesians 1:7), reconciliation with God (John 15:15; Romans 5:10) and eternal salvation (2 Timothy 2:10). In Jesus Christ “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). So to know who God is, all we need is to look to Jesus.

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WHAT IS LIFE?

There is now a large body of research that addresses the question of human happiness and therefore a full and satisfying human life. Many of them have compiled various more or less comprehensive” happiness lists”. In principle, they all agree that a full and happy human life must include the following three qualities:
GROWTH – to be the best possible one within of my abilities and capabilities I can be, self-actualization (cf. Maslow, Goldstein, etc.)
TRANSCENDENCE – having a transcending purpose in life, something to live for, something to strive to be the best possible, something to die for, if it came to that (cf. Frankl.)
RELATIONSHIPS – to live in a community where we share this way of life, share its joy, and at the same time help each other to grow more and more in this life (Grant and Glueck study, Powell, etc.)
AUTONOMIC LIVING – this is how this form of life is sometimes referred to, where the value of life – and our sense of happiness and fulfillment – do not depend on anything external (such as money, possessions, recognition, power, etc.), but flow directly from within us, we experience them within ourselves, and at the same time we don’t need any external motivation (paycheck, praise, awards) to live this way because we are motivated by life itself, which we live and which itself is our reward (cf. Plato, Seneca, etc.).
GOD is the one who lives this form of life in the greatest conceivable intensity: HOLY (= no evil) and PERFECT (= the best possible) – there is no conceivable quality that He or His Life lacks, it contains within itself absolutely everything, including everything that exists on earth.
LOVE – God is one, but not alone. He is a communion of three Persons, each of whom lives for the other two Persons and in them finds the perfect meaning of His existence, giving Himself to them in ultimate love.
THE TRINITY – results in relationships of such profound affinity, understanding, and inner unity, that though Three Persons, they are but one being, one being, the One God in perfect communion of relationships. As human beings, we were created by God for to share in this life of God, to have God share His life and who He is with us. In Christianity, we call this by the technical term CREATION: God became man to man became God and had to participate in His eternal LIFE.

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Why are we in the world?

 Or does human life have no meaning and does a person have a goal?” This question, with which M. Blondel begins his work L’Action (Action), still has its full topicality and represents an area everyone must address. Otherwise, he will not find himself and will lack a mature and mature personal identity. This is important because we only have one life! That is why the most basic question in religion classes is: Why are we in the world? This is how religion gives us answers to the most significant questions regarding our lives: Where are we from and why are we here? Where is our goal? “Eternal life consists in knowing you, the only true God, and the one you sent, Jesus Christ” (Jn 17, 3). These words are the motto in the introduction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (hereafter KKC), which was also published in Slovak in 1998. To know God means to live, but to live life is not of this world. This knowledge is the goal of our life.

Therefore, the hunter is created not for this world, not for this life, but for another world, for another life, which means happiness that we cannot even imagine. St. speaks about this life. Augustine in the book of his Confessions, which are like a life confession and a confession, a celebration of God’s incomprehensible love: “When I cling to you with my whole being, I will never feel pain or effort, and my life, filled with you, will be a true life” (Confessions, 10 , 28; cf. CC, 45). We are created for this happiness, and this happiness is sought by our “restless heart”, which St. Augustine (Confessions, 1, 1). The New Testament uses several expressions to characterize the bliss to which God calls man. It is: the coming of the kingdom of God, seeing God, entering into the joy of the Lord, entering into the peace of God (cf. CCC, 1720). According to St. Augustin, “we will rest there and see: we will see and love. We will love and praise. So it will be endless in the end. After all, what other goal do we have, if not to come to the Kingdom, which will have no end?” (On the City of God, 22, 30).

” This desire is of divine origin. God put it in the heart of man to draw him to himself because only he can fully satisfy it” (KKC, 1718). This is how St. Thomas Aquinas: “Only God satiates.” Therefore, we can answer the old catechism question that “God created us to know him, to serve him and to love him, and that’s how we came to paradise.” Beatitude gives us participation in God’s nature and eternal life” (CCC, 1721). This simple sentence is like a tightrope on a steep mountain path, like something to cling to when everything is uncertain. At the same time, the meaning of the catechism is very simply explained in this truth: it is a way, a help to a happy life, a help in life, a guide, a map with precisely marked goals.

The fleeting desire for eternal life and eternal happiness confronts us with decisive choices. “He teaches us that true happiness is not in wealth or prosperity, nor human fame or power, nor any human creation, however useful, such as science, technology, art, nor in any creature, but only into God, the source of all good and all love” (CCC, 1723). A young man who graduated from school shortly after the gentle revolution started a business, and his work was successful. He almost became a self-confident man, which he made everyone feel. He saw the meaning of his work life. He devoted all his strength to her, but she did not fully satisfy him. He was a witness at marriage once. He confidently sat down on the bench. But as soon as the ceremony began, he disappeared. He had not been in the temple for very long. He didn’t know when to stand up, or when to stay seated. He didn’t even know the songs, he just opened his mouth,

When during Holy Communion the youth choir sang songs of praise about God’s love, the priest noticed that something was being done to him. The businessman lowered his head, his shoulders shook, and wept. After the ceremony, he came to the priest and said: “Those young people who sang are happy. They know why they live. And I understood that I don’t know why I live. I felt sorry for it. Father, help me to be happy like them.” This question is answered by Jesus when he met the rich young man (Mk 10, 17-22). Jesus’ answer leaves no shadow of doubt about the path to be taken and is summed up in the words: “Come, follow me!” (Mk 10:21), as soon as you renounce everything. The evangelist left us a note that highlights this consideration for us: The young man “became sad and went away sad because he had a lot of property” (Mk 10:22). These words are eloquent. The true meaning of our existence cannot be achieved without Christ, without God. We cannot achieve this without giving up everything.

Maria Cristina from Savoys (1812-1836), noble queen, and wife of King Ferdinand of Naples wrote in one of her poems: “Although I am healthy… But what next? – And I have gold and silver… But what next? – And fate put me in a high place… But what next? – I am almost the only one with such spirit and knowledge… But what next? – Even if I enjoyed the world for a thousand years… And then? – We almost die and nothing remains: – Serve your God and then you will have everything!” (A. Luciani: Letters to yesterday). Those are thoughts unsurpassed and true! We only have one life, so the question, “Why are we here?” is vitally important. God answered this question very clearly in Jesus, crucified and risen. Now he stands at the door and knocks. Whoever wants, he will open for him. Those who open up to him will not regret it.
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and the catechesis (teaching) of the apostles show us the paths that lead to the kingdom of heaven. Strengthened by the grace of the Holy Spirit, we strive to follow them step by step with our daily deeds…” (CCC, 1724). A good Christian life was already a “way” to God for the first Christians. Even our life is not only one of many paths, but also a path that God himself shows us, and which reliably leads through this life and safely leads to the goal. Whether we achieve it depends on us. God does not force us to do this, he only invites us: “If you want…” (Mt 19, 17). However, it is worth achieving. Jesus Christ assures us of this: “Come, you blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you…” (Mt 25, 34). What “eye has not seen, nor ear heard”, and what “has not entered the human heart” (1 Cor 2, 9)

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Christ – the light of the world.

Today’s Feast of the Sacrifice of the Lord, popularly called “Groundhog Day”, offers us two facts. Above all, it is a memory of Christmas, it is the symbolic end of the Christmas circuit – a kind of echo of Christmas. It is a memory of how the Virgin Mary brought Jesus to the Jerusalem temple. We will remind you of that first. But today’s holiday is also a great task for each of us: We are to be the light of the world. And so we want to realize that we are supposed to be that light, to radiate, warm and aw, taken new life. The Virgin Mary had baby Jesus all to herself for forty days. And now she came with Joseph through the east gate to the temple of Jerusalem to fulfill the prescription of the law of Moses. The priest comes and leads the mothers in line to the temple. There he stretches his hands over the children and announces: Every firstborn boy is dedicated to the Lord. He mentions how in Egypt the heathen firstborn boys perished, but the boys of the chosen nation of Israel were saved, and now they are to thank for it. Joseph handed over two baby pigeons and, like everyone else, dropped five shekels of silver into the temple treasury.

The ceremony in the Jerusalem temple is over, and the women are leaving. The Virgin Mary came out last. And in front of her stands an old man. Her hair is white as snow, and she reaches out to her with her shaking hands. The Mother of God knew that at this moment the whole world was reaching out its hands to Christ the Lord. The whole world is waiting for redemption. Maria handed her child to the venerable old man. And the old Simeon first looked to the sky and thanked the Lord for waiting so many years and not in vain. And then he looked at the child and uttered the prophetic words: God, I can die now. I saw the Savior. He will be a light to the entire world and bring glory to his nation. And an eighty-four-year-old old woman, the prophetess Anna, daughter of Phanuel, approached. She also praised the Lord. And it seemed to the Virgin Mary that two people were standing there who had been expelled from Paradise – Adam and Eve. They stand there and give thanks that rescue is coming. They thank you for

Now the old man Simeon turned to the Virgin Mary. What does he want to say to her? Simeon predicted: This child of yours will be accepted by others and will be for their enlistment. But others will stand against that child – to their destruction. And you will observe and experience all this, and a sword will be dug into your soul. Maria knows that. The others will rejoice, and she – Seven Pain – will cry. Redemption will come to the second, and she – the Seven Painful One – will experience pain. The others will have peace and she – the Seven Pain – will be pierced by a sword. Yes, the Seven-Pained Mother of God will stand under the cross of her Son, she will not be able to give her Son even a sip of water when he cries “I am thirsty”! She will stand under his cross and will not be able to hold back the spear with which they will open Christ the Lord’s Divine Heart. But at that moment both hearts will be pierced. One spear and the other,

And so they left the Jerusalem temple and walked around Herod’s palace. He will be the first to take the dagger to pierce Christ the Lord. And Mary will run again at night – just like on Christmas Day. Herod will be the first, but not the only one. His nation will rise against Christ. The world will eventually rise against him. But his cross will shine triumphantly in heaven when he comes in his glory. Yes, today’s holiday is the last memory of Christmas, but also the first harbinger of Easter. The firstborn sons in Egypt were killed on the Passover. And this child is already preparing for his Easter. That is the event of today in the life of the Virgin Mary. Today’s holiday is also a task for each of us. Christ the Lord is the Light of the world, and he commands us all – be the light of the world too! And we ask: How can we spread this light of Christ? To that end, we will tell a small story from life.

Friends invited a lonely young man to come to their house on Christmas Day. They had a cottage on the hill not far from the bus. After the festive dinner, they were supposed to go to midnight mass together. And so the young man set off on his journey. It was afternoon and the sun was shining. He went uphill, first through the forest, then the forest stopped, but the weather changes quickly in the mountains. And suddenly the wind blew a blizzard, heavy snowflakes stuck to his eyes, he waded through the snow up to his knees, sweating with fatigue and fear. He thought, “What if I fit in here, what if no one finds me?”

He started calling for help, but no one heard him. The young man remembered God: “Lord, you are my light and my salvation. Please don’t leave me!” And the blizzard and the white milky mist disappeared as quickly as they had come. He saw the hill and the illuminated windows. He had a wonderful Christmas Day. Yes, people can get lost, not only in the mountains. People can also go astray in their lives. May they always find someone to show them the way? May they always find the light of Christ? Let Christ the Lord be our light. May the Virgin Mary be our star, as it is said in one poem: “Mary, Mother, you have been in me – like a starfish to a swimmer at sea.” – Just as that little star shines and delights – the one who prays and the one who sins.” Let us be the light of the world and let us all meet one day when the eternal light will shine.

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Infidelity

Either God exists or He does not. Which of these two hypotheses are you betting on? This is how philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal addressed the readers of his famous book Ideas more than 300 years ago. Believers and even semi-believers will answer God without hesitation. Although it looks different in practice. They do not renounce God explicitly, but often explicitly alienate themselves from Him. They become prodigal sons, not all at once, but gradually. Let us try to express this concretely. I was talking to a businessman. He wakes up thinking of the many deadlines that await him that day. At breakfast, he throws a glance at several newspapers, drinks coffee, telephones the clerks in the car, looks over the most important files in the office, rushes to a meeting with the heads of departments, negotiates with representatives of other companies, receives visitors, hears complaints, signs contracts. All day, every day, the same merry-go-round. No thought of God, no prayer for guidance, and higher motivation for his work. In the evening, he often comes home with a head full of plans and worries. Whatever religiosity he may have inherited, such a way of life will gradually alienate him from God. Man enjoys, plans, decides, gets angry, disregards God, and is guided by vision, benefit, profit, and success. God, church, and good deeds are slowly forgotten. Such people, with this way of life, gradually lose interest in God and the spiritual life. Certainly, not all of them are businessmen. But do not we too get carried away by our worries so perfectly, that God has no place either in the mind, in the heart, or the feelings. We allow ourselves to be so deceived by our work, by our petty interests, that we lose other things, and above all, we lose contact with God. One ceases to commune with God, to consult with Him, to seek His company in prayer, to read the Holy Scriptures. His place is taken by friends, television, sports, career, and politics. It is not that he rejects God altogether, but he will always prefer something else. And they don’t miss God. It is similar to the story of the prodigal son. As long as he had enough money, and enjoyed life, it didn’t even occur to him to think about God. Which caused him to change his view of his Father, and his life. The poverty in which he found himself. And it will be similar today. It is only when people today lose the values on which they build their lives, then they will begin to seek God again. In other words, man must first empty himself, and make room for God. Voluntarily, man is probably not able to do this. He must be forced to do so by external circumstances. Just as they forced the prodigal son.

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St.John Bosco, Priest

Saint John Bosco: Priest, Mentor, Performer • The Koala Mom

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 Be an example of Christian principles.

 Children imitate their parents, Fathers, and mothers, you are teachers. Your children are students. The pitch of your angry voice, your mannerisms, and your mood are all imitated by your young children.

Children imitate their parents. Therefore, care should be taken to give them the right examples. Parents who are kind and polite at home, while being strict and strict, will find the same traits in their children. If they are honest, honorable, and respectable, then their children will be similar to them in these qualities. If they respect God and pray to Him, then even their children, if they are brought up in this way, will not forget to serve Him in this way. – 5T 319, 320

Parents should always set examples for their children that they would like them to imitate. They should show each other tender consideration, in words, looks and actions. They should demonstrate that they are controlled by the Holy Spirit and introduce the character of Jesus Christ to their children. Imitation has a decisive influence. In childhood and youth, this ability is most effective, so a perfect role model should be placed in front of them. Children b should have confidence in their parents and constantly repeat examples to remember. 

Teach by word and example. – The mother is still in school while raising her children. By teaching her children, she is also learning herself. The lessons she gives her children in self-control must be carried out by herself. She meets different moods and thinks of her children, so she must be sensitive when making decisions. She is in danger of being biased in her judgment or not being fair to her children. If she wants her children to be polite and kind, then she must behave according to the law of kindness even in family life. This is how children repeat these principles every day by word and example. – Pacific Health Journal, June 1890

Teachers will try to educate your children at school, but your example is more influential than anything else. Your speech, the way you approach solving daily problems, and your likes and dislikes all help to shape your character. With a kind nature, self-control, composure, and politeness, what the child sees in you will be his daily knowledge. Education continues over time as a daily school and shapes the child as it should be. –

Try not to be rude to children… Demand obedience and do not speak rashly to children, because your ways of acting and your words are their textbooks. As you help them, be kind and gentle at this time in their lives. Your presence should be like sunshine for them and be reflected in their hearts as well. These growing boys and girls are very sensitive and you can ruin their whole life with your rudeness. Be careful, mothers, never scold, because it does not help. – MS 127, 1898

Parents are to be role models in self-control. – Children should be kept from getting upset if possible. Therefore, the mother should be calm and unhurried, she should not get upset or nervous. Therein is the school of discipline for her and the child. While she is teaching her child renunciation, she is also educating herself to be a role model for her children. With a tender interest, he works upon their innermost being, that it may subdue the natural sinful inclinations, and cultivates the grace of the Spirit in his words and his conduct. 

Even a single victory you get over yourself is a very valuable support for your children. You can stand at a vantage point and say, “I am God’s steward, I am God’s temple.” I submit to His leading to mold me in His image. I have become God’s co-worker in shaping the minds and characters of my children to make the path of following the Lord easier for them… Fathers and mothers, if you can control yourself, you will gain a great victory in controlling your children. –

The fruit of self-control. – Parents, whenever you lose self-control and act carelessly, you are sinning against God. The angel notes every intolerance of the word that does not morally uplift, he notes it as a stain on our Christian character. Speak kindly to your children. Realize how sensitive you are, how difficult it is for you to bear reproaches, and do not put on them what you cannot bear yourself. They are weaker than you, they can’t take as much. The fruits of self-control, consideration, and zeal on your part will be a hundredfold.

Let your pleasant and cheerful words act like rays of sunshine in your family. 

If parents want their children to be truthful and behave properly, then they too must be correct in theory and practice. 

Children are influenced by the behavior of so-called Christians. – The children of those who sanctify the Sabbath are led from their youth to observe the Sabbath. Some of them are very good children who honestly fulfill their duties in worldly matters, but they do not have a deep sense of sin and the need to repent of sin. However, such a situation is dangerous. He sees the behavior and efforts of so-called Christians. They follow those who are preachers but not Christians by conviction, comparing their views and actions with these losers. There is no resistance to sin in their lives, and they flatter themselves that they are doing right. 

The teaching of the Scriptures has no greater effect on the youth because many parents and teachers profess to believe the Word of God while denying its power in their lives. Sometimes the youth feel the power of the word and recognize the greatness of Christ’s love. They see the beauty of His character and the possibility of a life devoted to His service. On the other hand, however, they see the life of those who only pretend to respect God’s commandments.

Parents must say “No” to temptation. – Mothers, do not lean towards worldly customs and set before your children an example of loyalty to God and thus teach them to say no. Let your children know the meaning of the commandment: “If sinners entice you, do not consent. Proverbs 1:10 And when you want your children to be able to say no to temptation, you must say no. It is just as necessary for an adult as it is for a child. 

Be an example of kindness. – Parents, be kind and gentle to your children, and they will learn kindness. Let us prove in our homes that we are Christians. I value as worthless the confession that is not part of family life in kindness, tolerance, and love.

Pay attention to the tone of your voice as well as your words. – Let not a single word of abuse, irritation, or anger come out of your mouth. The grace of Christ awaits your request. His Spirit will control your heart and conscience and guide your words and actions. Never recklessly lose self-respect with rash and rash words. See that your words are honest and your conversation holy. Give your children an example of how they should be according to your ideas… Let them be words full of well-being, a pleasant and cheerful facial expression. 

Parents should not force anything under any circumstances. It must not manifest itself in an implacable, critical, and eternally dissatisfied spirit. The words they say and the timbre of their voice are examples for children for good or for bad. Fathers and mothers, children hear your angry words, and you teach them to speak in the same way. The ennobling plum of the Holy Spirit remains thus ineffective. If you want to fulfill your duty to your children, then it is important that you patiently continue doing good. 

Parents are God’s agents in the formation of Character. – According to what pattern are the thinking and characteristics and characters of your children shaped? Parents, realize that you are agents in this transformation. When once you sleep in the grave, your work; which you have done here; will remain as a testimony of whether it is good or bad. 

Imprinting God’s image. – You must guide, warn, and advise. Always remember that your looks, words, and actions have a direct bearing on the future attitude of your children. Your task is not to paint a beautiful picture on canvas or to carve it out of marble, but to impress upon the human soul the image of God’s likeness. –

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JOY

From a material point of view, this quality is the result or outcome of the action of several factors: health, temperament, thrift, or harmoniousness of life, equanimity, courage to take upon oneself all the consequences of truth and justice, a never-ending process of self-education, success in one’s relations to people, to work, unburdened conscience, sincere and deep faith in God’s providence, etc. Joy is a matter of the heart and has deep roots. It is not infrequently accompanied by cheerfulness. However, it also goes very well with seriousness. Cheerfulness is usually something external, superficial, even explosive, and passionate; joy is lasting, while cheerfulness comes and goes; joy is a state of the soul, and cheerfulness is an emotion that is suddenly there and just as suddenly gone. Without inner joy, there is no outer joy – as there is no heat in a room without heating.

Joy is said to be a gift in some rare cases of nature in people who were born on a Sunday. They have received it, as it were, but after reaching a certain stage of development, it has also played its part in upbringing. Thus, the inherited qualities of resistance to negative influences, courage, and intrepidity in the face of life’s trials were organically engaged by the conscious acquisition of noble human qualities. And the result? Clarity of mind and an untrained wellspring of joyfulness, so much so that others feel as if something radiates from these people. This kind of joyfulness can only be partially “taught.” It means perhaps that for all the other, less happy individuals who have not inherited this gift, this virtue is unattainable. Certainly not. Apart from the special interventions of God, it should be noted that certain prerequisites. The first of these is the inclination, nay, the courage to be joyful, and the second is the ability to create the manifold preconditions of joy. Education for joy must go hand in hand with education for piety – as the brilliant educator of the past did and preached to do, St. John Bosco.
Let us begin with the simplest: environmental modification, especially the home. This includes, among other things, the choice of suitable furniture, its color matching that of the walls, carpets, curtains and drapes, pictures and decorative objects, flowers, or plants. A rich source of joy is music and poetry, sociability and a sense of conviviality, the ability to be selfless in one’s approach to every personal virtue, etc. All this works to create a fertile space for joy – but it is not yet a virtue. One must insure oneself against two pitfalls: emotional lability and chronic moroseness. One must strive to eradicate them from the soul like rubbish or insects. One must not trifle with feelings that stem from these two attitudes of life but react, just as soon as the first dark cloud rises: to withdraw it below the horizon, to defuse it. Otherwise, the sky will soon be clouded with black clouds, and a storm, often with thunder, is here. It often requires a tough, but above all determined, methodical, and persistent self-discipline. If a man has often, by his own doing, attracted sorrow, he ought to have as much sense, ingenuity, and strength to attract joy as well. Interestingly, posture also plays an important role in this battle against irritation and sullenness. Having lowered shoulders, drooping arms, slouching, walking as if carrying a heavy load – all these things somehow predispose one to melancholy, if not to dissatisfaction or even anger. One must have the courage to straighten up, to give the muscles a certain tone, to clear one’s face, to find a “magic word”, so to speak, which will help one to acquire a new physical-psychophysical frame of mind. And not only to banish the gloomy mood but also to eliminate anxiety or fear of the future. But it must be very intuitive and spoken with a great deal of courage and humor.

Each person is sensitive to different expressions or slogans. However, there are some, generally very effective when first encountering our psyche. For example, the monosyllabic word “I like!”. Let’s say a person is standing in front of a difficult or unpleasant situation and says to himself: “Gladly!” or “I like it I’ll take it!” And immediately he feels not only a surge of courage and strength but also of joy. Another tried-and-tested “magic password” is the phrase, “It will be cheerful.”
Every man capable of introspection will realize after a time that something in a few moments will free him from the burden, melancholy, sadness, irritation, and even anger. For one, it is a kind of
melody or a song, for another the opportunity to groan at some image or sequence of images, for another some exercise or a few minutes of concentration on inhaling and exhaling, or finally a very concentrated utterance of a prayer that one knows by heart. There are as many “tricks” as there are people. Although – and this also needs to be must be said – that one must have the strength to reach for them.

The situation changes incredibly after some time of intense, relentless, but sensible practice. One feels (sometimes with a great deal of euphoria) that one is a free being who rules even over one’s feelings and moods and can enjoy pleasant things as well as hardships. At the same time, he also experiences a kind of higher joy that has its origin in chivalric courage to handle the hardest things bravely, honestly, and faithfully. Evening, night, and morning play a particularly important role in training oneself for the joyfulness of life. Before going to sleep one should lightly review all the experiences of the day, rejoice in what has been joyful, and say to yourself: “Tomorrow it will be even more joyful” – and reflect on the means of realizing joy. The night also plays a significant role here. Let us say that a man in the middle of the night wakes up in the middle of the night. He puts a smile on his face and says: I can still sleep, that’s great. Tomorrow, I’ll get out of bed fresh as a fish. And one of the first
thoughts he makes room for in his mind is the “statement”: “It’s going to be a beautiful, joyful day today” – and he’ll repeat it cheerfully when he needs to until the thought or the resolve pervades his whole being.

Whether such a thing is possible at all has every justification. The answer, however, can only be negative if one does not believe in the existence of an absolute Being who is just as good as omnipotent. Only if one has the opportunity to lean on it will one discover the source of “living water” – joyfulness in the sense we have described it: as a long-term, lifelong quality or virtue. For it is something else to shout enthusiastically “Joy!” when someone (or life) asks something pleasant of us, and it is something else to say in the face of unpleasant things or obligations, “It will be cheerful,” to be positive despite it all, and to turn to God by saying, “Yes, with joy, Father,” or “It will be joyful, Lord, For you and together with you all things will be well. Everything is a breeze for you.” We have said that cheerfulness is primarily a matter of the heart, but it radiates outward as well. This brightness may be feigned here and there, but never for long. It follows that people who radiate joy as a permanent way of life are a kind of intuitive, though unspoken, unstressed evidence of belief in Providence. Joy does faith credibility – and conversely, a sustained lifestyle of joyful faith is verified. A sullen, sad Christian is proof of the falsity of the “glad tidings” or the gospel, for he thus noiselessly, without a word, unintentionally, but all the more effectively, confirms the unbeliever in his conviction, that Christianity is incapable of bringing salvation.

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Many people try to live a dignified religious life.

Jesus heals from an unclean spirit. The unclean spirit’s words are surprising: “My name is regiment because there are many of us” (Mk 5:9).
The events that follow only confirm these words of the devil. Jesus allowed them to enter the pigs that were grazing nearby and those that fell into the sea. There were about two thousand of them. This is what this section wants to tell us: The power of evil is great, but Jesus has an even greater power to destroy evil because he is the Son of God. We see this in other places when he says to the woman:” Your sins are great, but go and sin no more” (John 8:11). She was forgiven much because she loved very much. This article is also intended to warn us about the amount of sin.

A person’s conscience can become dull, or an undesirable habit can occur, which does not add to a person’s joy, on the contrary. We must take seriously not only the seriousness of the sin, but also its number. After all, the doctrine of the sacrament of reconciliation leads us to this, so that during the sacrament we say not only sin, especially all serious ones, but also the number of them. We must realize the impact of one grave sin on our salvation, and even more, so we must realize the number of grave sins.

This is what the gospel is supposed to warn us about. One can meet Jesus. …he wanted to go to Jesus, but Jesus gave him another piece of advice: “Go home to your relatives and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and how he had mercy on you” (Mk 5:19). Every return to Jesus would make us, he should only rejoice. We should not behave like the owners of the pigs behaved. They only saw the material they askre asking Jesus to leave them. They are afraid of their other possessions…, perhaps. This stanzleadst leads us to the idea that even the multitude of sins is a great evil. One must not resign. The Church does not convey despair, and fear, but hope.

Example. Have you experienced something similar? The man was looking for a place where he could find pain in his soul. Once he entered a church where a priest and his faithful were praying: “We neglected the things we were supposed to do and did what we shouldn’t have done.” Then the man sighed and said quietly: “Thank you, God, that I found a way…”

It is necessary to renounce one’s pride. Pride is a seed. Pride and every sin will prevent you from entering the kingdom of God. 

One parable about the present life tells that the animals gathered together and complained to the people that they were being robbed of many things. “They’re taking my milk,” said the cow. “They’re taking my eggs,” said the hen. “They are taking my meat,” said the pig. “They are hunting me to take my fat,” said the whale. And so on. Finally, the snail spoke. “And I have something they’d like more than anything else. Something they would surely rob me of if they could. I have time.”

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