“If you feel the communion of the saints, if you live it, you’ll gladly be a person of penance. And you will realize that penance is “Gaudium, etsi laboriosum” (Joy despite hardship) and you will feel yourself “allied” to all the penitent souls that have been, that are, and that ever will be.” (The Way 548 St. Josemaría Escrivá)
Joy despite hardship. Let this be our Christian motto brothers and sisters for 2026. Nothing defines being a Christian more than focusing on Christ, others and then, yourself, all with true joy. For this new year, explore what it means to be filled with God’s Joy, and further, how to LIVE that Joy, despite the ridiculousness that the world throws at you. There are some who feel that the self is to be completely put aside. I struggle with this, as I believe we cannot give, what we do not have. If we do not have Joy and Peace within ourselves, it’s impossible to give to others. We cannot live that which we do not know. We could just put on a smiley face and pretend. We are all capable of “faking it” instead of really doing this. The problem with this plan is: First–it’s fake. Second–listening to St. Paul, we must clothe ourselves with Christ. “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ…” (Romans 13:14) Jesus was not a pretender. He was point blank, filled with God’s Joy, and Peace. This is not to say He never struggled. Our history of His life, recorded in God’s Holy Word, is filled with His emotions, His struggles, and His triumphs. He is our living example. The secret to God’s joy is remembering, it is His Joy, gifted to you, and lived out only by His strength. The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy; charity demands beneficence and fraternal correction; it is benevolence; it fosters reciprocity and remains disinterested and generous; it is friendship and communion. “But above all these things have charity…” (Col. 3:14) So, what have we surmised thus far? The key to living with true Joy and the Peace of Christ, is simple. Charity. The Love of God. Loving God above all else. Putting Him first, in your heart and soul. Submitting, completely to Him, trusting that no matter what hardship we are facing, that He is in absolute control. Knowing that He always has our very best in mind, and that He loves us utterly and completely. Once we learn to love ourselves, we are fully capable of loving others. Jesus says in St. Matthew 22:39 to “love your neighbor as yourself…” Have you ever really considered this verse? I mean what does this mean? I assure you, it is not ‘self-love’ in the definition of the world’s love. Christ’s love is selfless and unconditional. Human love is quite the opposite. Loving ourselves is important, however. When we take the time to examine ourselves, address those things which are against what Jesus teaches, forgive ourselves, and truly love the gift of self, which God, Himself, gave each one of us, we are investing in a ‘bank account’ deep within our hearts. A bank account which we can steadily make withdrawals from, in order to be what we are called to be as Christians. Sacred Scripture was, and still is a key in this investment for me. I base everything in my personal constitution on these Sacred Texts. Invest the time to practice Lectio Divina or Divine Lessons in these books of the Bible. It will yield an incredible harvest. One of which you will never see the results in their entirety on this side of Heaven. Live God’s Joy. Be a shining example to the men and women all around you. Gaudium, etsi laboriosum. Never let the darkness, frustration, nor the inability to forgive yourself stand in the way of passing on this wonderful gift. You are gifted with life, for a purpose. No matter if you can see what it is or not, believe it! Trust in He who holds the universe in the palm of His hand. Look at your struggles, allow the strain to strip you of those things which God deems unnecessary. He always knows best. Do not shrink away from your problems, or just fake it. All things in our lives serve a purpose. To conform our hearts and minds to the likeness of Christ. That, is true Joy. A blessed and Happy New Year. I look forward to the months ahead, and pray that you do as well!
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