AS long as all these are properly
grounded and oriented,
there’s nothing at all to worry. Smiling, laughing and having fun
would do us no harm, and in fact would be and would do good to all.
The world would be a much better place to live, work and face our
usual as well as our unusual concerns.
If we manage to smile, to laugh and maintain a good sense
of humor, in spite of whatever and all because of love of God and of
others, then it can only mean we are healthy not only bodily but also
spiritually.
We need to cultivate this art of smiling and laughing
especially these days when we see a lot of harassed faces. It’s indeed
ironic that even as we seem to progress because we now enjoy a lot of
technological facilities and many advancements and developments in
other areas, the number of distorted and contorted face has also
increased.
The Holy Father has talked about this phenomenon sometime
ago. He made reference to people with funeral faces. This should not
be the case, since if we truly go by our faith, there’s indeed no
reason to feel sad, let alone, show it physically.
Everything has already been taken care of by Christ.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace,”
he reassured us. “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage;
I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33)
It’s important that we know the ultimate source of our
peace and serenity, our sense of confidence and hope that would enable
us to be cheerful at all times no matter what. It’s in Christ.
In other words, the art of smiling and laughing would
depend on how truly and vitally united we are with Christ. It’s not
merely a matter of luck, of some advantages we happen to have in life
in terms of health, wealth, social position, talents and other
endowments.
It’s when we truly encounter Christ who actually comes to
us and who never abandons us, and overcome our initial fear in meeting
him, and follow him as closely as possible, when we would be filled
with indescribable joy that would simply overflow.
Let’s remember that the apostles themselves were driven to
great fear when they met Christ in some unusual occasions, as when
Christ walked on the water. But when they were reassured it was
Christ, they immediately became very happy.
Obviously, this joy will come when we know how to live in
the presence of God, how to pray and refer things always to him, never
feeling alone to face the vagaries of life. It comes and develops when
we have an intimate relation with him, with his teachings, with his
will at every moment.
It comes and develops when we, like Christ, would overcome
the fear of the cross, of any problem we can have in life, when we
know how to react to anything in a supernatural way, with faith, hope
and charity, much like how Christ behaved when his time to suffer and
die came.
It should be a constant intention in our prayer that we
grow in identification with Christ, and then start to make adjustments
in our attitudes and ways of seeing and doing things, to let the
forces of faith, hope and charity to irrigate our thoughts, desires,
plans, words, and general behaviour.
Yes, we can avail of some finishing-school type of
developing cheerfulness and sense of humor, like learning how to crack
jokes, to make fun of oneself, to act like a comedian or jester for
the others, but only as a consequence of an authentic relationship
with Christ or at the instance of faith, hope and charity.
I believe that this concern for learning how to smile,
laugh and have fun is a real and urgent one that needs general
attention. It might be a good idea if we can devise a way of
monitoring the level of authentic joy and cheerfulness in the
different levels of society.
Things should start with oneself, then with the family and
the neighbourhood. Schools and other forms of community life should be
marked by a healthy brand of cheerfulness.
Yes, we have to practice to smile and laugh and have clean
fun. Parents should plan things so that everyone at home smiles and
has a good time, in spite of whatever problems there may be. Let’s
remember education starts at home, before it is sustained in the
schools. Might be good to collect jokes and nice, edifying anecdotes
for this purpose.
there’s nothing at all to worry. Smiling, laughing and having fun
would do us no harm, and in fact would be and would do good to all.
The world would be a much better place to live, work and face our
usual as well as our unusual concerns.
If we manage to smile, to laugh and maintain a good sense
of humor, in spite of whatever and all because of love of God and of
others, then it can only mean we are healthy not only bodily but also
spiritually.
We need to cultivate this art of smiling and laughing
especially these days when we see a lot of harassed faces. It’s indeed
ironic that even as we seem to progress because we now enjoy a lot of
technological facilities and many advancements and developments in
other areas, the number of distorted and contorted face has also
increased.
The Holy Father has talked about this phenomenon sometime
ago. He made reference to people with funeral faces. This should not
be the case, since if we truly go by our faith, there’s indeed no
reason to feel sad, let alone, show it physically.
Everything has already been taken care of by Christ.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace,”
he reassured us. “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage;
I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33)
It’s important that we know the ultimate source of our
peace and serenity, our sense of confidence and hope that would enable
us to be cheerful at all times no matter what. It’s in Christ.
In other words, the art of smiling and laughing would
depend on how truly and vitally united we are with Christ. It’s not
merely a matter of luck, of some advantages we happen to have in life
in terms of health, wealth, social position, talents and other
endowments.
It’s when we truly encounter Christ who actually comes to
us and who never abandons us, and overcome our initial fear in meeting
him, and follow him as closely as possible, when we would be filled
with indescribable joy that would simply overflow.
Let’s remember that the apostles themselves were driven to
great fear when they met Christ in some unusual occasions, as when
Christ walked on the water. But when they were reassured it was
Christ, they immediately became very happy.
Obviously, this joy will come when we know how to live in
the presence of God, how to pray and refer things always to him, never
feeling alone to face the vagaries of life. It comes and develops when
we have an intimate relation with him, with his teachings, with his
will at every moment.
It comes and develops when we, like Christ, would overcome
the fear of the cross, of any problem we can have in life, when we
know how to react to anything in a supernatural way, with faith, hope
and charity, much like how Christ behaved when his time to suffer and
die came.
It should be a constant intention in our prayer that we
grow in identification with Christ, and then start to make adjustments
in our attitudes and ways of seeing and doing things, to let the
forces of faith, hope and charity to irrigate our thoughts, desires,
plans, words, and general behaviour.
Yes, we can avail of some finishing-school type of
developing cheerfulness and sense of humor, like learning how to crack
jokes, to make fun of oneself, to act like a comedian or jester for
the others, but only as a consequence of an authentic relationship
with Christ or at the instance of faith, hope and charity.
I believe that this concern for learning how to smile,
laugh and have fun is a real and urgent one that needs general
attention. It might be a good idea if we can devise a way of
monitoring the level of authentic joy and cheerfulness in the
different levels of society.
Things should start with oneself, then with the family and
the neighbourhood. Schools and other forms of community life should be
marked by a healthy brand of cheerfulness.
Yes, we have to practice to smile and laugh and have clean
fun. Parents should plan things so that everyone at home smiles and
has a good time, in spite of whatever problems there may be. Let’s
remember education starts at home, before it is sustained in the
schools. Might be good to collect jokes and nice, edifying anecdotes
for this purpose.
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