ARE WE LIVING OUR LIVES JOYFULLY?

 

2 June 2018 Saturday

Sharing my notes taken during Novena homily by Rev Fr Simon Tan, CsSr

@ Church of the Alphonsus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fr started with a question:  How many of us live our lives joyfully?

WE ARE CREATED IN GOD’S LIKENESS - HIS JOY IS IN US

• God created us in His image and likeness, and His joy is in us.
• Living our live with joy will help us understand our missionn in life.
• Jesus wants us to live our life to the fullest and to rejoice.

A LIFE OF JOY - A BLESSING TO OTHERS

• We must be able to see our life as a blessing for others.
• Even in suffering - sickness, cancer, financial woes, struggling relationships… - our life is still a blessing to others.
• Despite everything, do we see the blessings in our lives and that we can be a blessing to others in each our unique situation.
• Even though we may not have all the answers, even though we may only be able to do small things, there can be joy and we can be a blessing to others.

TAKE SOME TIME TODAY TO ASK

• Am I a blessing to my spouse?  
• Am I still a blessing to you after all these years?
• Even in my dementia, am I a blessing to my family?
• Am I a blessing to my children, my parents, my siblings, my colleagues, friends, neighbours?
• In what way has my life not been a blessing to others?

WHEN WE DON’T SEE OUR LIVES AS A BLESSING TO OTHERS

• The moment we fail to see the joy of being a blessing to others, we become frustrated, miserable and negative. 
• We can no longer be proactive nor outreaching.
• It is a blessing to be able to give.

IN EACH OUR OWN CIRCUMSTANCES

• When we are in situations that makes us unhappy, do not blame others.
• Rather, let us have the courage to ask God to bless us.
• “God, you created me in Your image and likeness, with Your joy in me, please help me to find the joy that is in me, joy that cannot be taken away.”
• “God, give me Your wisdom to see Your blessings in my life so that I can bless others.
• “Mother Mary, thank you for teaching us how to live a life of joy."

Fr Simon ended by urging us to make a decision today to live our lives joyfully.  

God’s joy is already in us.  The decision is ours to live it.