By Father John Catoir

There are two kinds of sin: sins of weakness and sins of malice. Be very careful not to imitate the fallen angels who committed sins of malice. They claimed the right to offend Almighty God, similar to those who claim right to murder their own child.

Jesus taught us the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Thank God your mother obeyed the law.  Jesus always told the complete truth, “Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you.”          

Jesus said, “I have come to bring joy.” Pope John Paul II added, “Christ came to bring joy…joy to friends and families, joy to the sick and elderly; indeed, He came to bring joy to all people. Go therefore and become messengers of divine joy.” 

But doesn’t the Cross dominate Christianity? How do we reconcile joy with the cross of Christ? For many, joy is very elusive. However, for many others joy is easily attainable. Millions of people are able to find joy in the sadness of their disability.

Robert Mueller was the former Executive Assistant to five Secretary Generals of the United Nations. He made this brilliant statement, “A vagabond in a ditch or an invalid in a bed, can be a thousand times more joyful than an insatiable neurotic millionaire in his skyscraper.”

I was privileged to be a friend of Robert Mueller for many years. We did two nationally syndicated TV Shows together, as well as many radio shows. He was a gifted man, admired at the UN, and an inspiration to many world leaders. His words were always based on the wisdom of Jesus Christ.

Witnesses abound among both saints and sinners who have attained joy, overcoming many forms of suffering and sorrow. Joy consists of an inner gladness that comes from the knowledge of God’s love. If you choose to live in the joy of Jesus, make his joy a part of your life, and it will abide with you in all circumstances.

Here is more of Mueller’s thinking:

“Decide to be cheerful. Render others cheerful. Praise the entire world with your cheer. Be a rock against sadness. Be optimistic and hopeful. Turn on your cheerful buttons, and be grateful always.”

There is a level of spirituality above our ordinary day-to-day existence, which is rooted in the Joy of Jesus. Jesus said, “Faith can move mountains.” Either you believe him or not. But why not? Who wants to languish in misery? We do well when obey the Gospel!  Faith is the acceptance of the mysteries of Divine Revelations. God’s ways are not man’s.

Doubt is hesitation over believing revealed truth. It leads to faithlessness. Outright disbelief is a sad option. On the other hand, there is great wisdom in accepting the truth of supernatural mysteries about God’s unchanging cove. There are many things in nature that are beyond our understanding, so too in the supernatural order. Take for example the basic truth that almighty God is all-powerful.

Once you believe that simple truth, the rest is easy. It is then no longer difficult to believe in God who became a man and grew in wisdom, age and grace; a God who loved the world so much that he suffered and died that we might live.

May the Lord be your strength and your joy. 

Father John Catoir is a retired priest of the Paterson Diocese.