Paschal Spirituality - Joyful and Optimistic
Brennan Manning's book "The Signature of Jesus" has truly challenged me, and I hope that this one chapter that I've been sharing from has challenged you too.
Finding Joy in Christian Life
But let's look at a fifth dimension of Paschal spirituality as we close the week, and that is it is joyful and optimistic. Teresa of Avila once wrote, "From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, spare us, O Lord."
The Christian life is always rooted in joy, friends! Just read the Psalms and see how often the psalmist wrote that his joy was in God. Or just read John's Gospel and see how often Jesus spoke about joy. It's central to the Christian life.
That's because we have greater hope that lasts far beyond this life. Robert Hodgkins once wrote that "Christians ought to be celebrating constantly. We ought to be preoccupied with parties, banquets, feasts, and merriment. However, we too readily become somber, serious, and pompous."
Hope That Overcomes
You see, when our joy is rooted in Christ, then not even suffering can take it away. And I say this often, but it doesn't mean that we pretend that everything's OK and slap on a smile. But it means that even in our dark times we have great hope and faith, because Jesus is alive and Jesus is our victory.
With our eyes on Him, we can still have joy. In fact, there's a phrase here in this book that has stuck with me, and it's one that I say to myself a lot these days since I read it. Manning wrote, "Whatever happens, the Lord is risen. Nothing can suffocate this joy and hope. Whether the day is stormy or fair, whether I am sick or in good health, nothing alters the fact that Christ is risen."
And this really is our hope, friends. Christ is risen, and so we are risen too. Not even death can scare us because Christ is risen. And so will we be. And so maybe that phrase needs to be in your brain today: Whatever happens, the Lord is risen. Whatever happens, the Lord is risen.
Can you repeat that to yourself today and let it give you hope and give you joy, even as life's difficulties rage?
I pray that you and I will be joyful today, because nothing alters the fact that Christ is risen.
And so, my friends, may your Paschal spirituality be centered on Christ. May it be lived in community; may it see the world as good, may it be stamped with the signature of Jesus, the cross, and may it be always joyful and optimistic.
I'm sure you'll get a lot from this book, "The Signature of Jesus," as I did if you read it.
