Washing Feet: Love and Service

Holy Thursday, 2016:

• Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
• 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
• Verse Before the Gospel: John 13:34
  John 13:1-15

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Holy Thursday, 2016

By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas
March 24, 2016

"If I, therefore ... Have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet."

To wash someone's feet in the ancient world really meant something. It was, almost always done, by household servants as a way of indicating the importance of the other person, as a way of showing respect. It was a show of humility and tenderness in submissiveness and deference. The person doing the washing was always "lesser" than the one whose feet were being washed. And the fact that Jesus did it spoke volumes. In a sense he was saying, "you must be a servant. You must be humble. You must come in close to the one in need. You must get your hands dirty. You must (maybe for the first time) think exclusively of the other person."

So what does that look like in this time and in this place?

Maybe it means.....

That the starting point is always the dignity of every single person, no exceptions.

That the happiness and well-being of others is as, or more important, then ours.

That we don't have to win every argument.

That we don't have to have all the answers, and that others have something to teach us.

That the person we like the least is precisely the one we need to help the most.

That we must never be okay with others being lonely and forgotten or unloved.

Maybe it simply means that we should approach every single person we encounter, intent on answering the question, "what can I give? What does this person need from me?" And not what can I get from this person?

How can we possibly do that? Well, it's only possible if God is alive and well within us, shaping all we say and do. And nowhere is that hope more visible than at this altar, at the sacred table whereby our loving Lord and Savior feeds us with his very life, his very self -- our God poured out for us and within us so that we can do all the incredible things he calls us to do. Think about it -- the body of Christ given to the body of Christ so that we can more perfectly become the body of Christ, that is so that each of us can strive to live lives of profound goodness, kindness, generosity, mercy, and love. That's the promise and the challenge of the Eucharist.

So you all be Good, Be Holy, preach the Gospel always using Words and Holy Actions.

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'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.

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More reflections:

• "Reflections from Sauk Centre's Our Lady of Angels Church"

Related posts:

• "Names and THE Name"
  (February 28, 2016)
• "Love!"
  (January 31, 2016)
• "Mercy!"
  (December 13, 2015)
• "(Not) 'Going Native' "
  (August 30, 2015)
• "Gnawing Our Lord"
  (August 16, 2015)

Holy Family, Not '50s Family

This morning's readings — Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-3; Colossians 3:12-21 or Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19; and Luke 2:22-40 — have one thing in common: marriage and family.

That figures, since this is Holy Family Sunday.

Taking a cue from our Lord, Catholics see family as a big deal. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1601-1658, particularly 1655; 2210)

That's not the same as holding up Happy Days or All In the Family as an ideal toward which all must strive.

So why is this in one of today's readings?

⁸ Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord."
(Colossians 3:18)

Some of the world's billion-plus living Catholics may think this verse justifies their view that wives are useful household items, along with the dog and a dishwasher.

That's not what the Church says, though. The rest of that bit from Colossians goes like this:

"Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them.

"Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.

"Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged."
(Colossians 3:19-21)

It's not the 'share a bedroom while you feel like it' arrangement that's been popular occasionally: but Colossians 3:18-21 doesn't describe the toxic domestic lockup many of my generation grew up with.

I've talked about Ephesians 5:22-31, Judges 4:4-10; John 2:1-5, and herding goats, before. (February 9, 2014)

Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility: Keillor's Got a Point

Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon Catholics were members of the Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility parish.

The parish, and town, are fictional: but there's something to the stereotype that responsibility goes with being Catholic.

In a Catholic family, we all have duties: children (Catechism, 2214-2220); and parents (Catechism, 2221-2231); wives and husbands. (Catechism, 2360-2365)

Men and women aren't alike: which is fine with me. More to the point, that's the way God designed humanity:

"God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them."
(Genesis 1:27)

Since I think God designed humanity, and doesn't make junk: I think men and women are important. We have "an equal personal dignity." (Catechism, 2334, 2393)

Being "in the divine image" is more about our minds than our bodies, and I'm wandering off-topic. (Catechism, 1701-1709)

As usual, it boils down to 'love God, love my neighbor, see everybody as my neighbor.' (Matthew 5:43-44, 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:25-30; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1825)

The Church says parents have 'rights,' which governments should recognize: civic leaders have responsibilities, too.

Parents have, or should have, "...the right to choose a school for them which corresponds to their own convictions...." That's because parents are — what else? — responsible for their children's education. (Catechism, 2229)

Part of their education is teaching our kids "...to pray and to discover their vocation as children of God...." (Catechism, 2226)

That doesn't mean I'm expected to train my kids to be priests, monks, or nuns. It's pretty obvious that none of our kids are headed for a "religious" vocation: which is okay. I'll get back to that.

Family and Freedom

Once I've made sure my kids got an education, I can tell them to be doctors, or lawyers, or whatever?

Nope. Not even if it's a family tradition.

"When they become adults, children have the right and duty to choose their profession and state of life...."
(Catechism, 2230)

I can't even tell my kids to get married, or who to marry — or not to get married.

My wife and I are expected to give our kids "judicious advice," while being "careful not to exert pressure on them ... either in the choice of a profession or in that of a spouse...." Once they're adults, the choice is theirs. (Catechism, 2230-2233)

Family is important: but it's not the most important thing in life. Putting anything ahead of God on my priority list is idolatry: which is strictly against the rules. (Catechism, 2112-2114)

Not All Vocations are "Vocations"

"Parents should respect and encourage their children's vocations. They should remember and teach that the first calling of the Christian is to follow Jesus."
(Catechism, 2253)

In my dialect of English, a "vocation" in the Catholic context generally means a "religious" vocation: being a priest, nun, or monk.

Clergy and holy orders are vocations: but so is being married, or single. As I've said before, everybody's got a vocation. (December 11, 2011)

"VOCATION: The calling or destiny we have in this life and hereafter. God has created the human person to love and serve him; the fulfillment of this vocation is eternal happiness (1, 358, 1700). Christ calls the faithful to the perfection of holiness (825). The vocation of the laity consists in seeking the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God's will (898). Priestly and religious vocations are dedicated to the service of the Church as the universal sacrament of salvation (cf. 873; 931)."
(Catechism, Glossary, V)

Folks who follow a vowed life, nuns and monks, have a "vocation." (Catechism, 925-927)

So do ordained deacons, priests, bishops, the Pope; and everyone else. (Catechism, 874-896, 897-913, 1669)

I'm in the "everyone else" category: part of the laity. Our job is "...to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God's will...." (Catechism, 898)

The Catholic Church has been around for about two millennia, attracting folks from around the world. Every individual and each culture brings something new to the mix. Some innovations, like St. Francis of Assisi's nativity scene, are still with us.

Getting back to vocations, by now it's not just priests, nuns, monks, and laity. we've got secular institutes (Catechism, 928-929), societies of apostolic life (Catechism, 930), and other vocations that overlap vowed and laity.

No Pressure, Really

Two of our surviving kids are a bit like me; two are a bit like my wife; and each of them is a unique individual, pursuing his or her vocation. So far, they've all decided to stay with the Catholic Church.

But if one of them decided to walk out: the church door is unlocked, metaphorically speaking. Anyone is free to leave. Or join.

If one of the kids decided to stop being Catholic, I wouldn't be happy about it: but even if I could "make" them believe, I wouldn't. Seeking truth is a responsibility each of us has. Forcing another person to act against his or her convictions is against the rules. (Catechism, 2104-2109)

Maybe you've run into Catholics who don't live up to these high standards. I'm not surprised.

We're all human beings: basically good creatures, dealing with the consequences of a bad decision by our first parents. (Catechism, 388-389, 396-409)

For two millennia, the Church has been passing along what our Lord told us: 'love God, love our neighbor, see everybody as our neighbor.'

And for two millennia, some of us have paid attention: trying to live as if those ideas matter.

Looking Ahead

I wasn't a Catholic in the '60s and '70s, when 'those crazy kids' were trying to change the world.

I thought change was needed, though: and still do. Some of our reforms are turning out well. Others, not so much — but I'm glad the "good old days" aren't coming back.

Since today's America — and world — are far from perfect, we still have work to do.

When we're doing our job, the Church doesn't make people behave the right way. At its worst, forcing 'correct' behavior leads to atrocities like the Verden massacre. A dozen centuries later, we're still cleaning up that mess. (May 18, 2014)

Convincing folks that loving neighbors is a good idea takes longer. But after 19 centuries of passing along 'love God, love our neighbors, see everyone as our neighbor;' a remarkable number of folks started thinking that owning other people is wrong.

Human nature being what it is, some Catholics of the early 42nd century may be upset that the Church doesn't 'make' people behave.

My guess, and hope, is that the social ills they're sorting out won't be quite the same ones we have. And that's another topic. (October 26, 2014; September 13, 2011)

I'd say 'that's not my problem,' but I'm a member of society, with — you guessed it — responsibilities to future generations. And that's yet another topic. Topics. (Catechism, 1905, 1917, 2415, 2456)


(From Jaime Jasso, via DeviantArt.com, used w/o permission.)

More of my take on life, love, and the long haul:

• "Caesar, Civilization, Dealing With Change — and Building a Better World"
  (August 31, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Poems, Movies, and Slow Progress
  • It's the End of Civilization as We Know It: And About Time!
  • The Code of Hammurabi, Plus 3,700 years: Looking at the Big Picture
• "Joining the Universal Banquet"
  (August 3, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Bringing a Message of Hope and Love
  • Two Millennia: Looking Back, Looking Ahead
• " 'They Have no Wine' "
  (May 11, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Ephesians and Diapers
  • Queen, Yes: Passive, No
• "Unconsidered Optimism and Diaper Changing Tables"
  (June 23, 2013)
• "Sex, Marriage, and the Catholic Counter-Culture"
  (February 17, 2011)
  Particularly
  • Catholic Teachings, Not Victorian Melodrama
  • Marriage: Candy, Flowers, and Clogged Drains

Background:

• "For the XXXI World Day of Prayer for Vocations"
  Pope John Paul II (26 December 26, 1993)
• "Familiaris Consorti"
  On the Role of the Christian Family in the Modern World
  Pope John Paul II (November 22, 1981)
• "Gravissimum Educationis"
  Declaration on Christian Education
  Pope Paul VI (October 28, 1965)
• "Divini Illius Magistri" On Christian Education Pope Pius XI (December 31, 1939)

Fear of the Lord: Ancient, Timeless Wisdom

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2014:

• Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
• 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
• Matthew 25:14-30

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33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2014

By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas
November 16, 2014

Our Catholic Christian tradition teaches us that happiness and friendship and marriage should all be based on a healthy loving fear of the Lord. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the psalmist expresses it very simply and poetically. "Blessed are those who fear the Lord," and then he explains what, exactly, that means: "to fear of the Lord is to walk in his ways." This is the wisdom of the ages. It is the perennial principle of human happiness. And it is the foundation of true success in marriage.

To fear the Lord is to walk in his ways. How blessed are those who fear the Lord! Those who fear the Lord are to be praised! Some kinds of fear are good, and some kinds of fear are bad. Bad fear should be resisted. Good fear should be encouraged. To fear the Lord is to understand that the meaning of life is to love God and to seek his ways. To fear the Lord is to appreciate the unsurpassable value of faith in God and faith in the son of God. To fear the Lord is to live a sacrificial life for others in imitation of the one who sacrifices himself for us on the cross.

But this way of life must begin at home. It begins in the context of marriage and family, and the family must always have priority in the spiritual life. We must sacrifice ourselves first of all for those who are closest to us, for those we love the most. The husband sacrifices himself for his wife. The wife sacrifices herself for her husband. As parents, they sacrifice themselves for their children. To fear the Lord is to see the beauty in the sacredness of this sacrificial way of life. Our faith enables us to see what the world does not appreciate: the sacredness of marriage, and the beauty of a life that is lived for one's family.

What exactly does that look like, a life lived for one's family? In our society we are surrounded with many models of infidelity and unfaithfulness. We are constantly confronted with out right violations of marriage and family, and we see many family relationships breaking down and falling apart. It's easy to become kind of skeptical about the whole idea. But we know how it's supposed to work. Deep down in our hearts, we know how it is supposed to be. And our faith tells us how it's supposed to be.

In the first reading, the book of Proverbs speaks of the woman who has true wisdom. How does this woman live her life? How does she spend her time? What does she value? What makes her happy? Does she live for herself or for her family? Well, let's see. She obtains wool and flax, and makes cloth with skillful hands. She reaches out her hand to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy. She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs at the days to come. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and on her tongue is kindly counsel. She watches over the conduct of her household, and she does not eat her food in idleness. She is resourceful and productive. Her children rise up and praise her, and her husband extols her. The woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her a reward for her labors, and let her works praise her at the city gates.

Of course, the Scriptures affirm the very same truths about the husbands. The man of wisdom is the one who works hard for his family, and is faithful to his wife. The man of wisdom is the one who avoids worldly allurements, and controls his unruly impulses. The man of wisdom is the one who fears the Lord, and spends his free time going to church and studying the law of the Lord. The man of wisdom is the one who accepts hardships, stays humble, mourns over his own sins and the sins of others, hungers for righteousness, shows mercy to those who have wronged him, keeps his mind and heart clean, and works to bring his family and friends closer to God. This is the wisdom of the ages, the wisdom that our society has lost and thinks it doesn't need.

The foundation of our society is marriage and family. In the foundation of marriage and the family is a healthy fear of the Lord. The fear the Lord is the key to wisdom, the key to a successful and productive life, and the key to happiness in this life, and the next. If we truly believe this, then we actively and constantly restructure our lives so that they revolve around the walking in the ways of the Lord. And very soon, we discovered that it is not going to be easy. We may find that we are insulted and persecuted, and marginalized and excluded, because we have committed ourselves to a Christian set of values and the Christian way of life.

Is our Lord demanding? Yes, because he is Truth and Goodness, and Truth and Goodness are demanding. We have to stay awake and alert. We have to work hard to stay sober. We have to be good and faithful servants. We have to use the gifts and talents Lord has given us.

The more we use the gifts and talents he has given us, the more gifts and talents he gives us. They're given to us for others.

All he asks is that we remain faithful in small matters. All he asks is that we follow his ways in the details of our lives. All we have to do is lead a quiet life and do the work he has given us to do. All we have to do is put ourselves at the service of our families and friends with the resources he has given us.

His demands are reasonable. In the face of such demand, the wrong kind of fear will lead us to protect ourselves, abandon our duties, and live for ourselves. But the right kind of fear will lead us to abandon ourselves, accept our duties, and live for others.

You'll notice now that I close with a little different closure, that I have been have been doing in the past because the New Evangelization requires that we use words.

So you all be Good, be Holy preached the Gospel always using Words and Holy Actions.

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'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.

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More reflections:

• "Reflections from Sauk Centre's Our Lady of Angels Church"

Related posts:

• "Talents, and the Best News Ever"
  (November 16, 2014)
• "Life, Death, and Hope"
  (November 2, 2014)
• "God's Kingdom, a Wedding Parable, and the Rest of the Story"
  (October 12, 2014)
• "Predestination — Free Will from God's Point of View"
  (July 27, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Acting as if God Matters
• " 'Those Who are Just Must be Kind' "
  (July 20, 2014)

Joy and Standing Orders

My father reminded me of this good advice when I was in my teens: "...whatever is true, ... whatever is lovely, ... think about these things." My response was something like '...because they won't last.'

I wasn't happy about saying that at the time. Decades later, I still regret the statement. I can't, of course, undo what was done: and the time for telling my father "I'm sorry" has long since passed. In any case, I said "I'm sorry" too often, and that's almost another topic.

That quote is from today's second reading, Philippians 4:6-9. I'll get back to that.

Today, thanks to very powerful antidepressants and a few other psychoactive prescriptions, I no longer have to fight the controls to make my brain work. I even have moments when I feel good about who I am and what I do.

That's a nice change of pace.

Melancholia was being redefined as depressive reaction while I was growing up, then to depressive neurosis; so maybe it's just as well that my condition wasn't spotted then. In any case, if I'd spent my adolescence and the bulk of my adult life in a different way — I wouldn't be where I am today.

Joy, Zest, and Mud

As it is, I had an opportunity to reason my way out of suicide: and developed a knack for seeing beauty in just about anything.

I seldom felt that emotional rush of wonder and delight at seeing a crescent moon, or noticing symmetries and order in drying mud. But I learned to appreciate the beauty that's built into this universe.

A dictionary says that joy can mean intense happiness: particularly ecstatic or exultant happiness. Ecstasy can mean intense joy or delight, getting so emotionally whipped up that rational thought and self-control are impossible.

I've run into folks who seem to approach faith with a zest and enthusiasm worthy of a homecoming game pep rally. That's okay, but I very much prefer a faith that still works when all the light and color is drained from the world.

Since I'm a Catholic, my faith depends on what I believe: not how I'm feeling. Faith and reason get along: or should. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 30, 156-159, 274, 1706)

It's not all about cold logic, though. Now and then we get a glimpse of the beatific vision. Most of us, anyway. (Catechism, 163)

The Beatific Vision and Mirrors

The beatific vision is contemplation of God in heavenly glory. I put a definition at the end of this post. I can't tell you what it's like from personal experience: my metaphorical mirror isn't all that shiny.

"At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known."
(1 Corinthians 13:12)

That's okay: since, like 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "we walk by faith, not by sight."

That's not the same as blind faith, or the sort that conscientiously avoids facts and reason. As a Catholic, I must believe that, using reason, we're "...capable of understanding the order of things established by the Creator...;" and that "conscience is a judgment of reason ... a law of the mind...." (Catechism, 1704, 1778)

And that's yet another topic. Topics.

Rejoice!

"Rejoice ⁴ in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!

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"Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.

"Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁶ "
(Philippians 4:4, 6-8)

Some of those verses are from today's readings, the first comes earlier in Philippians 4. Nearly a half-century after my father reminded me about them, I've found that they're pretty good advice.

I still don't "feel" joyful very often, and that's okay. I may never have the "mountaintop experience" folks describe as being overwhelmed, 'knocked down,' by God's presence. That's also okay.

Emotions are part of being human. They're even useful, in their own way. But I've found that reason is a better tool for making decisions. Still more topics. (Catechism, 1763-1770, 1776-1794)

Folks have taken verses like Philippians 4:6, "have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God," and run straight off the edge of reality.

Christians, everybody, are wounded people, living in a damaged world. We're going to have trouble, no matter what. (Catechism, 386-390)

The trick is not being anxious about the troubles we face.

I think looking at the big picture helps.

Move Out!

Almost two thousand years back, Jesus, the Son of God, was conceived. He was born, lived, was tortured and finally killed on Golgotha. For anybody else, that would have been the end.

Jesus isn't just anybody. Three days later, Jesus stopped being dead.

If that seems unbelievable, don't feel bad. It took quite a few meetings and at least one working lunch to convince the Apostles that Jesus was, in fact, really — no kidding — not a ghost — sit-down-and-eat-a-baked-fish, alive.

"While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, 'Have you anything here to eat?'

"They gave him a piece of baked fish;

"he took it and ate it in front of them."
(Luke 24:41-43)

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"Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, 'Peace be with you.'

"Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.' "
(John 20:26-27)

Then my Lord gave us standing orders and a promise. That scene, in Matthew 28:18-20, is one of my favorites. I also enjoy reading what happened next:

"While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.

"They said, 'Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.' "
(Acts 1:10-11)

Those verses from Acts remind me of a now-cliche scene from old movies, where the commander's inspiring speech is over — and the sergeant says something like 'alright! You got your orders: Move out!

Two millennia later, the standing orders haven't changed: and that's yet again another topic.

Not-entirely-unrelated posts:

• "Robin Williams, Suicide, and Hope"
  (August 17, 2014)
  Particularly
  • Major Depressive Disorder: Real; Serious — and Treatable
• "Joyful, Yes: Giddy, No"
  (December 28, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Joy, Ecstasy, and Victory Celebrations
  • "Set Free From Sin"
• "Seeing the Horizon"
  (May 19, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Pickled Peppers
  • Fun is Good: Joy is Better
  • Eyes on the Horizon
• "Life, Death, and a Sore Wrist"
  (April 21, 2013)
  Particularly
  • God is In Control, We Have Orders
  • "...Neither Death, Nor Life..."
• "Fasting, Penance: and Infinite Depths of Joy"
  (June 3, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Despondency isn't a Virtue?
  • God, Rain, and Me
  • "Infinite Joy"

A look at the deep end of prayer, by another blogger:

• "True Contemplation and its Counterfeit – Part one"
  David Torkington (September 2, 2014)
• "True Contemplation and its Counterfeit – Part two"
   David Torkington (September 15, 2014)
• "The Beginning of Contemplative prayer"
  David Torkington (October 3, 2014)

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"BEATIFIC VISION: The contemplation of God in heavenly glory, a gift of God which is a constitutive element of the happiness (or beatitude) of heaven (1028, 1720)."
(Catechism, Glossary, B)

Robin Williams, Suicide, and Hope

Robin Williams was a few months older than I am when he died. That photo is from 1979, when he was becoming famous for his role in "Mork & Mindy."

I admire Williams' work, regret his addiction to cocaine and alcohol, and am sorry that he is dead. He was a remarkably talented actor and comedian. Sadly, he apparently decided to hang himself.

We can't be sure, but it's likely that suffering from depression had something to do with his death.

Celebrity deaths get heavy media coverage: so when yet another movie star dies from suicide, drug overdose, or some other avoidable cause, it can seem that fame leads to self-destruction.

Although famous folks from Hannibal to Margaux Hemmingway killed themselves, I think it's prudent to remember that many high-profile folks didn't: like Lauren Bacall and Bob Hope.

I'll be writing mostly about life, depression, death, and why I haven't killed myself. You'll find links to articles about Robin Williams near the end of this post.

Decades in an Emotional Desert

I grew about a foot, and started shaving regularly, when I turned 13. As that was happening, I noticed that seeing sunlight washing over a freshly-mowed lawn was accompanied by no emotions: at all. I saw each blade of grass clearly, sunlight still sparkled through water droplets, but my response to the scene was strictly intellectual.

At the time, I assumed that having all the beauty and wonder sucked out of the world was a normal part of growing up. The way many adults acted strongly suggested that this was the case.

I mentally shrugged my shoulders and moved on. Feeling something besides "empty" most of the time would have been nice: but now I could reach higher shelves, so there was an 'up' side.

Decades later, on the recommendation of my wife, I talked with a psychiatrist: who promptly diagnosed me as experiencing major depression. Turns out, most adults don't live in an emotional desert, constantly fighting to make their brains work.

Around the same time, I learned that I've got ADD-Inattentive, Asperger's, or maybe something else. Either way, high-strength antidepressants and a few other drugs finally sorted out my brain chemistry.

Now I can think more clearly than I could since my pre-teens, maybe ever.

It's great.

Stubborn as a Mule: Still Working on Fortitude

I thought about killing myself: once, in my teens. After a few seconds, I decided that I was very stubborn: and likely to endure longer than any of my then-current torments. Afterward, I still felt awful, but the feelings passed.

I've felt like killing myself a few times since then, but each time I remembered that obstinacy has advantages. "Perseverance" or "dogged determination" sound better, maybe, but let's face it: I'm stubborn. Properly controlled, it's a strength.

I'm still working on virtues like fortitude, and that's another topic. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1808)

Major Depressive Disorder: Real; Serious — and Treatable

So, if I'm such a stubborn man, why didn't I just decide to stop being depressed?

For one thing, I didn't realize that I suffered from psychiatric disorders. I figured that so many adults were cranky and obtuse because they were dealing with interior torments like mine.

For another, although we still don't know exactly what happens with depression, medicos have long since realized that it's a physical disorder: not the result of weak character or moral failings. Not directly, anyway.

"Major depressive disorder" comes with various combinations of altered brain chemistry, out-of-whack hormones, other biological and genetic differences, and traumatic events. (Mayo Clinic)

I was dealing with at least three of those factors, including a traumatic event I know happened: but which isn't in my conscious memory. And that's yet another topic. (January 28, 2011)

At the risk of sounding preachy, I'll repeat what you've probably heard before: being imperfect is okay; and so is getting help:

"...When our society characterizes people with clinical depression, it paints pictures of moody teens wearing black. It does not consider depression as it honestly is: a real illness that can hit anyone of any socioeconomic background. It can affect a parent as well as a student, the rich and the poor. Like a cold or the flu, anyone can experience it....

"...But society stigmatizes depression as just a case of 'being sad,' and tells the depressed to 'just get over it.' That leads the clinically depressed to hide their illness until it is too late, scared of what people might think, instead of reaching out for the treatment that can help return them to happiness....

"...But, just as if you were to get the flu, if you feel depressed, you should go to the doctor and get medicine and advice for feeling better. You would tell your friends to do the same...."
("Coming of Age: A lesson from the dimming of a bright star," Karen Osborne, CNA (August 12, 2014))

There's more of that excerpt at the very end of this post.

Getting a Grip About Health, Hair Shirts, and Hope

Life and health are "precious gifts." Since I'm a Catholic, part of my job is taking care of my health: within reason. (Catechism, 1509-1523, 2288-2291)

Prayer is a good idea, always: so is science and technology, used wisely. (Catechism, 1509-1523, 2292-2296, 2275, 2558)

Over the last few centuries, we've been learning a great deal about how the body works, and that's yet again another topic.

I've read and heard quite a bit about suicide, some of it about as sensible as this line from a Monty Python comedy sketch:

"...After all he only did what many of us simply dream of doing --- I'm sorry. After all we should remember that a murderer is only an extroverted suicide...."
("The Tale Of The Piranha Brothers," Monty Python, via www.montypython.net)

I take humor and suicide seriously. But although immoderate laughter is a bad idea, joy and humor are okay, and I'm wandering off-topic. Again. (Catechism, 1676, 1856)

Or maybe not so much. St. Philip Neri, the 'amiable Saint,' was known for his heavy-handed humor: like giving an overly-pious young man permission to wear a hair shirt, on the outside of his regular clothes.

"Cilice" is a fancy name for hair shirt. Think of it as an all-wool T-shirt, starched. Worn next to the skin, it's a a sort of low-impact penance. Worn over your clothes, you'd look ridiculous. (November 13, 2011)

Getting back to life, death, and all that — Human life is a precious gift, sacred. Murder is wrong, even when the victim is oneself. (Catechism, 2258, 2268-2269, 2280-2282)

We get one life, one soul, and one chance at eternity. Hope is a virtue, despair is not an option, and hope lasts as long as we live. (Catechism, 366, 1013, 1021-1022, 1501, 1817-1821, 2091)

Sin is an offense against reason and truth, and quite real. (Catechism, 1846-1851)

Sin is not a matter of liking the 'wrong' sort of music, or wearing slacks during Minnesota winters. Still more topics. (September 26, 2009)

Finally, a few words about hope and joy:

"We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives."
(Catechism, 2283)

---

"but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'
…
"I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. "
(Luke 15:2-7)

Background

• Depression (major depressive disorder)
  • Symptoms
  • Causes
  • Risk factors
  • Complications
  Mayo Clinic
• Depression
  National Institute of Mental Health; National Institutes of Health
• Major depressive disorder
  Wikipedia

Looking for more of my take on being alive? Here's a sample:

• "Suicide, Civilization, and Decisions"
  (June 23, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Living in a Speed Bump
• "Facts, Frustration, and Fear"
  (January 28, 2011)
  Particularly
  • 'There's a Hole in My Mind'
  • Suicide is Not an Option
• "Prayer, Medicine and Trusting God"
  (March 4, 2010)
  Particularly
  • Major Depression isn't Fun
  • Weak-Willed? Proud? No: Smart
  • But Don't Religious People Rely on God?
• "David Carradine 1936-2009: What if It's Suicide?"
  (June 4, 2009)
  Particularly
  • Catholic Teaching on Suicide: There is Hope
• "The Catholic Church Won't Even Let People Kill Themselves"
  (January 28, 2009)
  Particularly
  • Hope
  • Suicide - It's Not Always Someone Else

Robin McWilliams, news and views:

• Robin Williams
  Wikipedia
• "Grim details of Robin Williams' death released by investigators"
  Peter Fimrite, Evan Sernoffsky, Henry K. Lee; SFGate (August 13, 2014 )
  (video and text)
• "Coming of Age: A lesson from the dimming of a bright star"
  Karen Osborne, CNA (August 12, 2014)
• "Robin Williams, Oscar-Winning Comedian, Dies at 63 in Suspected Suicide"
  Dave Itzkoffaug, The New York Times (August 11, 2014)

Excerpt from news and view:

"...When our society characterizes people with clinical depression, it paints pictures of moody teens wearing black. It does not consider depression as it honestly is: a real illness that can hit anyone of any socioeconomic background. It can affect a parent as well as a student, the rich and the poor. Like a cold or the flu, anyone can experience it.

"Clinical depression has a lot to do with the way chemicals function in your brain. Scientists have found that chemicals that help regulate your mood are severely low in people who have depressive episodes. But society stigmatizes depression as just a case of 'being sad,' and tells the depressed to 'just get over it.' That leads the clinically depressed to hide their illness until it is too late, scared of what people might think, instead of reaching out for the treatment that can help return them to happiness.

"But, just as if you were to get the flu, if you feel depressed, you should go to the doctor and get medicine and advice for feeling better. You would tell your friends to do the same. Why suffer a headache when there are painkillers? Why suffer a sinus infection when you can get a decongestant?

"Doctors have effective medicine and methods to battle clinical depression. And yet, it is a condition that makes people feel as they cannot reach for help. There is help out there -- from friends, psychologists, doctors and even kind strangers at hotlines and help lines.

"If you are experiencing major depression, you might have difficulty concentrating and making decisions...."
("Coming of Age: A lesson from the dimming of a bright star," Karen Osborne, CNA (August 12, 2014))

Joyful, Yes: Giddy, No

My desk is tucked behind a hutch in the north room, which gives me a sort of oversize bulletin board by my left elbow. This poem, written by my father, had been taped to it:

Autumn Yard Work (II)
Bernard I. Gill

Life passing
Leaves falling
Birds flying
Clouds floating
I'm watching
Rejoicing

It fell off Friday, for no apparent reason. I could assume that the slip of paper falling at that particular moment is a sign from God, caused by a ductile fracture in the tape, or both. That reminds me of secondary causes, which is another topic.

Quite a few folks enjoy autumnal colors. Not so many, I suspect, rejoice at reminders of "life passing." We have a few dozen decades in this life, sometimes much less. There's reason to think that we can't live more than about 125 years, even with medical technology that hasn't been invented yet.

So how can any sane person be "rejoicing," while contemplating "life passing?"

Being a Christian, and understanding a little of the big picture, helps.

Joy, Ecstasy, and Victory Celebrations

Joy and ecstasy don't mean quite the same thing, but they're similar ideas.

Joy can mean intense happiness, particularly if it's ecstatic or exultant happiness.

Ecstasy can mean intense joy or delight, being so emotionally whipped up that rational thought and self-control are impossible, or 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA): and that's yet another topic.

A dictionary says that "to rejoice" means "to feel joyful; be delighted."

I've seen folks be wildly emotional in a delighted way: particularly during some victory celebrations. Sometimes folks torch cars and loot stores in the process, sometimes they don't, and that's yet again another topic.

But someone can rejoice without losing self-control or becoming irrational.

I'm about as sure as I can be that my father wasn't out of control when he wrote that poem: or earlier, when he was doing autumn yard work. I've had a few brushes with that sort of joy, too.

"Set Free From Sin"

"The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew...."
("Evangelii Gaudium," Pope Francis (November 24, 2013)

I'm not going to try boiling 51,000 words of Evangelii Gaudium down to sound bite size. There's more than enough in those three sentences to keep me busy in this post.

Maybe it's obvious, but "set free from sin" doesn't mean that Christians are perfect people. We're all wounded people, living in a damaged world. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 386-390)

Jesus took my place, accepting the consequences of sin. That set me free from sin: but doesn't exempt me from trouble here and now. (Matthew 16:24; Catechism, 599-618, 976-983)

Being "set free from sin" doesn't mean that I can't make mistakes, and certainly doesn't mean that I can't make daft decisions.

I have free will and can decide to do something I know is wrong. That's why we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance. Catholics living in America generally call it 'going to confession.' It's also called the sacrament of conversion and sacrament of forgiveness. (Catechism, 1422-1484)

Being happy is okay, but expecting a life full of giggles and good times is silly. I'm content with the occasional glimpses I have of coming attractions. God willing, at the end of all things I'll join the saints and angels: rejoicing.

"But as it is written: 'What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him,' "
(1 Corinthians 2:9)

Related posts:

• "Time, Decisions, and a Sense of Scale"
  (September 28, 2013)
• "Seeing the Horizon"
  (May 19, 2013)
• "Christmas: a Miniature Helicopter; Joy; and Hope"
  (December 25, 2012)
• "Fasting, Penance: and Infinite Depths of Joy"
  (June 3, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Emotions, Faith, and Something Indescribable
  • Jesus, Joy, and Standing Orders
  • "Infinite Joy"
• "Hope, Joy, and Working for a Better World"
  (September 13, 2011)

---

A very quick look at joy, Catholic style:

"By his death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has 'opened' heaven to us. The life of the blessed consists in the full and perfect possession of the fruits of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He makes partners in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will. Heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ.

"This mystery of blessed communion with God and all who are in Christ is beyond all understanding and description. Scripture speaks of it in images: life, light, peace, wedding feast, wine of the kingdom, the Father's house, the heavenly Jerusalem, paradise: 'no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.'⁶⁰³

"Because of his transcendence, God cannot be seen as he is, unless he himself opens up his mystery to man's immediate contemplation and gives him the capacity for it. The Church calls this contemplation of God in his heavenly glory 'the beatific vision':

"How great will your glory and happiness be, to be allowed to see God, to be honored with sharing the joy of salvation and eternal light with Christ your Lord and God, . . . to delight in the joy of immortality in the Kingdom of heaven with the righteous and God's friends.⁶⁰⁴

"In the glory of heaven the blessed continue joyfully to fulfill God's will in relation to other men and to all creation. Already they reign with Christ; with him 'they shall reign for ever and ever.'⁶⁰⁵"
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1026-1029)

"The New Testament uses several expressions to characterize the beatitude to which God calls man:

"- the coming of the Kingdom of God;¹⁶ - the vision of God: 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God'¹⁷

"- entering into the joy of the Lord;¹⁸

"- entering into God's rest:¹⁹

"There we shall rest and see, we shall see and love, we shall love and praise. Behold what will be at the end without end. For what other end do we have, if not to reach the kingdom which has no end?²⁰

(Catechism, 1720)

"Human virtues are firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to reason and faith. They make possible ease, self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life. The virtuous man is he who freely practices the good.

"There are many passions. The most fundamental passion is love, aroused by the attraction of the good. Love causes a desire for the absent good and the hope of obtaining it; this movement finds completion in the pleasure and joy of the good possessed. The apprehension of evil causes hatred, aversion, and fear of the impending evil; this movement ends in sadness at some present evil, or in the anger that resists it."
(Catechism, 1765)

"The moral virtues are acquired by human effort. They are the fruit and seed of morally good acts; they dispose all the powers of the human being for communion with divine love. "
(Catechism, 1804)

Seeing the Horizon

Quite a few Catholics smile now and then, some of us occasionally seem cheerful, and Catholic fundraisers are notorious for their acceptance of gambling: Bingo, usually.

By some standards, we're not very 'religious.'

Setting the Tone

I grew up where quite a few folks were 'Christian' at the top of their lungs. Many seemed dedicated to proving that religion was a psychiatric condition, and some were downright grim.

On the 'up' side, their goofy version of spirituality started me on a search that led to my becoming a Catholic.

Even Americans who don't commit evangelization with a blunt Bible often assume that being grim and being Christian go together. Evangelization, by the way, is part of our job: and that's another topic. (October 7, 2012)

The 'oh woe all ye faithful' part of America's version of religion and spirituality goes back a long time.

"Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy."
H. L. Mencken, The Quotations Page

Puritans weren't the only ones with a somewhat strict approach to their faith, and that's yet another topic:

• "Catholics aren't Calvinists"
  (May 7, 2012)

Pickled Peppers

Happily, being a Catholic means that I'm allowed to be happy.

"Pope: Sad Christian faces are like pickled peppers"
CNA/EWTN News (May 10, 2013)

"Pope Francis underscored the importance of being joyful by contrasting sad Christian faces - which are more like 'pickled peppers' - with the testimony of a beautiful life.

" 'Sometimes these melancholic Christians' faces have more in common with pickled peppers than the joy of having a beautiful life,' Pope Francis said May 10....

Looks like "melancholic Christians," aren't limited to America. Maybe it's part of human nature, maybe it's connected with the vein of dualism that runs through Western civilization:

• "God Doesn't Make Junk: Or Mistakes
  (November 27, 2011)
  Particularly
  • Dualism, Creation, and a Sticky Science
• "Gnosticism: Dissing God's Creation"
  (March 5, 2012)
• " 'From Sour Saints, Deliver Us' "
  (September 8, 2011)

Perennial pessimism might make sense for someone who didn't see much hope for the present or future. For someone who takes Jesus seriously - and that's still another topic. (January 13, 2011)

I've put excerpts from another news item about what the Pope said at the end of this post, one that includes more of what Pope Francis said.¹

Fun is Good: Joy is Better

"...'If we keep this joy to ourselves it will make us sick in the end, our hearts will grow old and wrinkled and our faces will no longer transmit that great joy, only nostalgia and melancholy which is not healthy,' he added....

"...The pontiff told them Christians should not keep joy 'bottled up' for themselves because they risk becoming nostalgic.

"Christian joy is not like 'having fun, which is good,' he explained, rather it 'is more, it is something else.'

" 'If we want to have fun all the time, in the end it becomes shallow, superficial, and also leads us to that state where we lack Christian wisdom, it makes us a little bit stupid, naive, no?' Pope Francis said...."
(CNA/EWTN News)

I like that: Having fun is okay, but it's possible to have too much of a good thing.

About happiness, it isn't the same as giggling all the time. Being who we are supposed to be is closer to the mark:

"HAPPINESS: Joy and beatitude over receiving the fulfillment of our vocation as creatures: a sharing in the divine nature and the vision of God. God put us into the world to know, love, and serve him, and so come to the happiness of paradise (1720)." (Glossary, Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Complete, unmixed, full-bore joy won't come in this world, but we get a sort of preview now and then. (Catechism, 1803, 1804, 1820-1832)

Eyes on the Horizon

"...'Joy is something that does not come from short term economic reasons, from momentary reasons, it is something deeper, it is a gift,'...

"...The pontiff described joy as 'a gift from God' that 'fills us from within' and 'cannot be held at heel, it must be let go.'

" 'It is a virtue of the great, of those great ones who rise above the little things in life, above human pettiness,' said Pope Francis.

"He explained that it is a virtue 'of those who will not allow themselves to be dragged into those little things within the community, within the Church' and that 'they always look to the horizon.'..."
(CNA/EWTN News)

I don't always see the horizon, but I'm learning to keep my eyes on the horizon: and what lies beyond.

Related posts:

• "Fasting, Penance: and Infinite Depths of Joy"
  (June 3, 2012)
  • Despondency isn't a Virtue?
  • Emotions, Faith, and Something Indescribable
  • God, Rain, and Me
• "My Take on the News: Jeanne d'Arc/Joan of Arc; Joy and Children of God; Mourning a Baby"
  (January 13, 2012)
  Particularly
  • Joy and Children of God
• " 'Inevitable Progress;' 'We're All Gonna Die;' and Getting a Grip"
  (January 16, 2012)
• "Hope, Joy, and 'More Despondent Than Thou?' "
  (January 8, 2012)
• "Hope, Joy, and Working for a Better World"
  (September 13, 2011)

Background:

• Acts 18:9-18
• Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1028, 1030, 1804, 2362

¹ Excerpt from the news:

"Pope at Mass: Christian joy far from simple fun"
Vatican Radio, via News.va (May 10, 2013)

"(Vatican Radio) Christian joy is a pilgrim joy that we cannot keep ‘bottled up’ for ourselves, or we risk becoming a 'melancholy' and 'nostalgic' community. Moreover, Christian joy is far from simple fun. It is something deeper than fleeting happiness, because it is rooted in our certainty that Jesus Christ is with God and with us.

"This is the lesson that Pope Francis drew from the Acts of the Apostles at Friday morning Mass as he described the disciples joy in the days between our Lord's Ascension and Pentecost and what we can learn from them....

"...'A Christian is a man and a woman of joy. Jesus teaches us this, the Church teaches us this, in a special way in this [liturgical]time. What is this joy? Is it having fun? No: it is not the same. Fun is good, eh? Having fun is good. But joy is more, it is something else. It is something that does not come from short term economic reasons, from momentary reasons : it is something deeper. It is a gift. Fun, if we want to have fun all the time, in the end becomes shallow, superficial, and also leads us to that state where we lack Christian wisdom, it makes us a little bit stupid, naive, no?, Everything is fun ... no. Joy is another thing. Joy is a gift from God. It fills us from within. It is like an anointing of the Spirit. And this joy is the certainty that Jesus is with us and with the Father'.

"A man of joy, the Pope continued, is a confident man. Sure that 'Jesus is with us, that Jesus is with the Father.' He asked: Can we 'bottle up' this joy in order to always have it with us?

" 'No, because if we keep this joy to ourselves it will make us sick in the end, our hearts will grow old and wrinkled and our faces will no longer transmit that great joy only nostalgia, melancholy which is not healthy. Sometimes these melancholy Christians faces have more in common with pickled peppers than the joy of having a beautiful life. Joy cannot be held at heel: it must be let go. Joy is a pilgrim virtue. It is a gift that walks, walks on the path of life, that walks with Jesus: preaching, proclaiming Jesus, proclaiming joy, lengthens and widens that path. It is a virtue of the Great, of those Great ones who rise above the little things in life, above human pettiness, of those who will not allow themselves to be dragged into those little things within the community, within the Church: they always look to the horizon'.

"...Joy is a 'pilgrim,' Pope Francis reiterated. 'The Christian sings with joy, and walks, and carries this joy.' It is a virtue of the path, actually more than a virtue it is a gift:

" 'It is the gift that brings us to the virtue of magnanimity. The Christian is magnanimous, he or she cannot be timorous: the Christian is magnanimous. And magnanimity is the virtue of breath, the virtue of always going forward, but with a spirit full of the Holy Spirit. Joy is a grace that we ask of the Lord. These days in a special way, because the Church is invited, the Church invites us to ask for the joy and also desire: that which propels the Christian's life forward is desire. The greater your desire, the greater your joy will be. The Christian is a man, is a woman of desire: always desire more on the path of life. We ask the Lord for this grace, this gift of the Spirit: Christian joy. Far from sorrow, far from simple fun ... it is something else. It is a grace we must seek'...."

Catholics, Families, and Hope

'Catholics have big families' is a stereotype - but some of us do have more than the fashionable number of children.

A conventional explanation here in America is that Catholics are too stupid, uneducated, and/or superstitious to make the connection between sex and babies. Or that we're too ignorant to realize that 'proper' persons don't have more than one or two children. At most.

I think there's another explanation: but what would I know? I'm one of 'those Catholics,' and 'everybody knows' what they're like. And that's another topic, almost.

Basically, I think Catholics, some of us, have large families because we like children: and because we don't think it's wrong to have hope. I know: that sounds radical. It gets worse. You'll find a little science and statistics in this post. I ranted about science, faith, and reason yesterday. (June 9, 2012)

By the time I'd gotten today's post organized, I realized that it came in three sections. Four, counting what I posted yesterday.

This post is the second in a series of four:

1. "The World isn't Flat"
   (June 9, 2012)
2. "Catholics, Families, and Hope"
   (June 9, 2012)
3. "Population Explosion, Birth Dearth, and a Changing World"
   (June 9, 2012)
4. "Taking Life a Thousand Years at a Time"
   (June 10, 2012)

Families: So What?

I've posted about "Family Values: Addams and Otherwise" before. (July 12, 2011) I think families are important: and that "family" is something that's designed into human beings. The 20th century saw some imaginative - and disastrous - attempts to run a society with unusual definitions of "family." My opinion.

Today, even when the mother and father leave, we sometimes see children stepping into the abandoned positions. In one case, a half-grown child was punished for supporting what was left of her family:

• "Earn Good Grades, Hold Down Two Jobs, Get Thrown in Jail"
  (May 30, 2012)

Children need families. I think adults do, too.

'The Good Old Days,' Remembered

I emphatically do not want to go back to the 'good old days,' where:

• Dad
  • Goes to work
  • Ignores the kids
  • Takes his wife for granted
• Mom
  • Stays home in the suburbs
  • Being 'just a housewife'
  • Watching
    • Soaps
    • Commercials with improbably-cheerful women
      • Doing housework in high heels
  (June 2, 2011)

Back in the '60s and '70s I didn't do drugs, join a commune, or get into most other conventional non-conformist activities. I do, however, have some sympathy for those of my generation who did. I remember the 'good old days.' They weren't.

Respect Goes Both Ways

A family is supposed to be a relationship where

• Children respect their parents
• Parents respect their children
  • See to it that children learn about our Lord
  (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2214, 2222, 2685)

There's more to it than that, of course. (Catechism 2201-2233)

Love: It's a Decision

Love is part of families, too. I think the emotional, affectionate, sort of love is important.

But I also realize that love is an act of the will. (Catechism, 1766)

Hope: It's a Virtue

I've been over this before: it's okay to be happy, and hope is a virtue. (May 5, 2011)

"The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for:

"The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists, it is because God has created him through love, and through love continues to hold him in existence. He cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and entrusts himself to his creator.¹"

(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 27)

---

"Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit....

"...The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man; ... Buoyed up by hope, he is preserved from selfishness and led to the happiness that flows from charity...."

"...In every circumstance, each one of us should hope, with the grace of God, to persevere 'to the end'⁹³ and to obtain the joy of heaven, as God's eternal reward for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ....

"Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end.⁹⁵ "

(Catechism, 1817-1821)

I think folks can mistake blind optimism for hope: but that doesn't seem to be a major problem in today's America.

If anything, folks today seem to need a reminder that there's more to look forward to than doom, despair, and death. And, of course, nuclear winter; global warming; climate change, the ozone hole; and the extinction of all cute, fuzzy animals. And that's yet another topic.

This post is the second in a series of four:

1. "The World isn't Flat"
   (June 9, 2012)
2. "Catholics, Families, and Hope"
   (June 9, 2012)
3. "Population Explosion, Birth Dearth, and a Changing World"
   (June 9, 2012)
4. "Taking Life a Thousand Years at a Time"
   (June 10, 2012)

Other related posts:

• Family
  • "Earn Good Grades, Hold Down Two Jobs, Get Thrown in Jail"
    (May 30, 2012)
  • "Sunday Obligation, Kids, and Consistency"
    (July 16, 2011)
  • "Family Values: Addams and Otherwise"
    (July 12, 2011)
  • "The Family, the Church, and Defending Human Dignity"
    (June 2, 2011)
  • "Home Schooling and This Catholic Family"
    (February 26, 2011)
• Hope
  • "A Little Look at the Big Picture"
    (February 13, 2012)
  • "Hope, Joy, and 'More Despondent Than Thou?' "
    (January 8, 2012)
  • "Faith, Works, and Spirituality for Dummkopfs"
    (October 5, 2011)
  • "Hope, Joy, and Working for a Better World"
    (September 13, 2011)
  • "Christianity: A Religion of Hope"
    (May 5, 2011)