Advent Attitude 2: Lightness of Being
In Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis says that “One of the more serious temptations which stifles boldness and zeal is a defeatism which turns us into querulous and disillusioned pessimists, ‘sourpusses’.” (85)
In other words, he’s telling us not to be a “Debbie Downer,” which is one of my favorite characters from Saturday Night Live.
Christians are called to spread joy. That brings us to the second Advent Attitude, which is a tendency toward a lightness of being; not flippancy, but the ability to brighten up a room.
Happiness and joy are not the same thing. Followers of Jesus are not people who put on rose-colored glasses and sing, “Don’t worry. Be happy!” No, we are filled with a deep and limitless joy, one that bears little resemblance to fleeting euphoria. This joy is a pervasive, abiding gladness, an inner peace that flows from being secure in God’s love. And nothing makes us more joyful and secure than the knowledge that God is with us—Emmanuel!
As a result, joy is capable of withstanding anything that life tosses its way, even suffering. Joy is at the very heart of the Kingdom of God. If we are inviting someone to enter the Kingdom of God, we had better show some joy. In his book Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster emphasizes the need for joy in the Christian life because, “It is an occupational hazard of devout folk to become stuffy bores. They should not be. Of all people, we should be the most free, alive, interesting. Celebration adds a note of festivity and hilarity to our lives.” While joy may not always be expressed in smiles and laughter, it is always characterized by a lack of cynicism and negativity.
Joy leaves no room for despair. In one of his daily homilies, Pope Francis insisted that “long faces cannot proclaim Jesus. Joy alone and praise of God are the only way to advance the Gospel.” (May 31, 2013) This is why there are more feast days than fast days in the Christian calendar—joy trumps sorrow!
This Advent, make sure that when you enter a room or join in a conversation, things brighten up a notch!
—Joe Paprocki, based on Under the Influence of Jesus
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