Imitating Heaven by Creating a Joyful Family Life

Joy is an elusive feeling missing in many of our lives.  Perhaps many of us are not joyful because we do not make finding it a priority.  We tend think joy is something that just happens to some and not to others.  But joy is something that requires our active participation in many small but often challenging ways.  Joy starts within the home.  Father Ed Broom wrote an article about 10 ways to vitalize the Catholic family which I think has a lot to do with finding joy.  The TL;DR summary of a joyful family is:

  1. Family prayer
  2. The father as head of the family
  3. Forgiveness
  4. Saying “I’m sorry”
  5. Servant attitude
  6. Gratitude
  7. Take a break from gadgets
  8. Listen
  9. Celebrate
  10. Marian Consecration

When I look at these ten points as a whole, I get the idea that a vitalized family is a joyous family.  It is one centered around building each other up, acknowledging when we mess up, forgiving, and moving on.

We all know the saying that money does not buy happiness.  But that does not stop many of us from trying.  I’m not just talking about extravagant or needless purchases either.  We all want what’s best for our spouse and our children and often plunk down a lot of money trying to achieve that.  We spend a lot for organized sports and activities, days out having fulfilling experiences, and nice family meals out.  But all that stuff and activities can also drown out true quality time that produces joy.

Modern “family time.” Where’s the joy emoji?

True family happiness is not something that comes through a Disney cruise or Hawaiian vacation.  It comes from much smaller but probably more costly actions.  It means taking the time to listen to your kid stumble through a joke he heard at school.  It means having some silly time with a toddler even when there is housework to be done.  It means just stopping and asking how your kids’ day went.  It means setting aside time to listen to your spouse talk about the day.

Life is busy.  And we so often get bogged down in doing what is immediately necessary.  We need to wake the kids up, we need to finish breakfast, we need to get to school, we need to drive to baseball practice, we need to get started on homework, we need to clean the house, we need to…  And so our days become a checklist of tasks where the joy and happiness are jettisoned for the sake of efficiency.  We may not even feel unhappy because everything runs so smoothly.  But we miss out on that feeling of joy because we are so busy running our families like a business that we don’t take the time enjoying being a family.

Joy is an important aspect of the Catholic faith and yet is one that is too often forgotten.  We forget about the joy amongst the talk of fasting, penance, sin, and dogma.  What we fail to understand is that the rules, fasting, and penance make way for joy because they tear down our natural human resistance to God’s grace and pave the way to ultimate joy in His Kingdom of Heaven.  You cannot experience joy with a soul burdened by sin.  Like someone shedding weight and feeling better through intense exercise, we need to shed the weight of sin through prayer and fasting to truly feel that joy that God intends for us.

When I pray the First Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, Jesus’ Resurrection, I remember that the Catholic Church is first and foremost a joyful Church.  Without Jesus’ resurrection, the Church would be based on little more than a philosophy of a man who lived thousands of years ago.  But with the resurrection, we celebrate with Jesus who conquered death as He said He would to His disciples.  Jesus is alive and present in our lives today helping us achieve that joy of having a close relationship with God our Father.  His resurrection proved that our lives do not end with the challenges and suffering of this world.  It does not end at all because He desires all of us to find true joy in His Heavenly Kingdom.

Circling back to the original topic of joy and family.  We should all try to make our family life an imitation of the joy we desire for ourselves in Heaven.  Maybe, if we give others in our family a small taste of joy, they will desire that true joy that God gives that much more.  And while our family life may never replicate Heaven, I think we can all agree that a pale imitation of Heaven is much better than an imitation of Hell.  If you are looking to spread joy in this world, start with the people who share your roof.

Our Lady’s Messages: March 2011

Message of March 02, 2011

Dear children; My motherly heart suffers tremendously as I look at my children who persistently put what is human before what is of God; at my children who, despite everything that surrounds them and despite all the signs that are sent to them, think that they can walk without my Son. They cannot! They are walking to eternal perdition. That is why I am gathering you, who are ready to open your heart to me, you who are ready to be apostles of my love, to help me; so that by living God’s love you may be an example to those who do not know it. May fasting and prayer give you strength in that and I bless you with motherly blessing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Thank you.

St.Michael parish church in Mondsee ( Upper Au...
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Mary’s message fits right in with the March 27, 2011 Gospel reading.  I discussed how in that reading Jesus contrasts our worldly needs and wants against our spiritual needs.  And here Mary tells us how she suffers tremendously when she sees us put our human wants in front of God.  None of us want to upset our earthly mothers by behaving badly.  Similarly, we don’t want to disappoint our Heavenly mother, Mary, by not living for the kingdom of Heaven.  We should remember her words when we pray the Fourth Glorious Mystery of the rosary that Mary is our Heavenly mother who is there to help us find God’s grace.  We need to listen to our mother by praying and fasting like she asks.

The Annual Apparition of Our Lady to Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo on March 18, 2011

Dear children! I am with you in the name of the greatest Love, in the name of dear God, who has come close to you through my Son and has shown you real love. I desire to lead you on the way of God. I desire to teach you real love so that others may see it in you, that you may see it in others, that you may be a brother to them and that others may see a merciful brother in you. My children, do not be afraid to open your hearts to me. With motherly love, I will show you what I expect of each of you, what I expect of my apostles. Set out with me. Thank you.

We do not make our faith journey alone.  In her message, Mary says that she is with us every step of the way.  She has the desire to lead us into God’s graces.  We not only have her help, but also the help of the Holy Spirit, angels, saints, and the entire Church.  We have a tremendous amount assistance in our corner.  But what they cannot give us is that desire to live in God’s love.  Each of us has to make that decision to want to have a relationship with God.  From that spark, Mary, the angels, and saints of Heaven can turn that spark into a fire of grace, joy, and happiness.  Let us remember Mary, Queen of Heaven, is there for us when we pray the Fifth Glorious Mystery of the rosary.

 

Message, 25. March 2011

Dear children! In a special way today I desire to call you to conversion. As of today, may new life begin in your heart. Children, I desire to see your ‘yes’, and may your life be a joyful living of God’s will at every moment of your life. In a special way today, I bless you with my motherly blessing of peace, love and unity in my heart and in the heart of my Son Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call.

Rubens Annunciation 1628 Antwerp
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What does Mary mean by having a desire to see our yes?  Remember, March 25 is the feast day of the Annunciation which we remember when we pray the First Joyful Mystery of the rosary.  That was when Mary said yes to God to being the mother of Jesus Christ.  The Annunciation marks the start of Jesus’ church on earth with a woman having the courage to say yes to God’s incredible request.  And so it is fitting that Mary asks us to commit to conversion.  She wants us to step out of our worldly comfort zone and take a chance living for Jesus’ heavenly kingdom.  As she says in her other messages, Mary will be there to guide us and comfort us when we do commit to living as God asks.  Mary received the ultimate blessing in the Annunciation when she said yes to God.  All she desires is to see us receive God’s grace by making the same decision.