Fifteen hundred years ago, Benedict of Nursia came out of his hermit’s cave and founded a monastery in Italy on the rocky crag of Monte Cassino. There he wrote the Rule that laid the cornerstone for monastic religious orders ever after. Benedict’s monastic spirit and discipline so revolutionized a newly Christianized Europe that there is little wonder that his namesake, Pope Benedict XVI, applauded Benedict’s title Patron of Europe, bestowed on the saint in 1964.
Everyone seems to be searching for the key to lasting happiness in this life. We want to escape the intense amount of anxiety we feel on a daily basis and desperately want to be happy.
Often we will go to our “comforts” for happiness, whether it is scrolling on our phone or binging on the latest Netflix show.
Or we may seek out food or drinks that mask the feelings inside of us, giving us a momentary feeling of pleasure that fills in the hole of happiness in our heart for a little while.
However, ultimately these material things will not lead to lasting happiness, a reality that many of the saints understood. Abandonment to the will of God is the secret of happiness on earth. Knowing and acting in God’s grace allows us to flow in the face of struggle and strong in faith not overcome by anxiety.
It’s worth the struggle!
“Christian optimism is not a sugary optimism, nor is it a mere human confidence that everything will turn out all right. It is an optimism that sinks its roots into an awareness of our freedom, and the sure knowledge of the power of grace. It is an optimism that leads us to make demands on ourselves, to struggle to respond at every moment to God’s call.”— St. Josemaria Escriva
We are given the gift of joy despite our circumstances and encourage each other with kindness and compassion. We do this through proper discernment and orientation of our motives. In his book Finding God’s Will for You, St Francis De Sales asks us to look at the intentions around how we do what God directs us to do.
A life of faith is a life of purpose—one rooted in love, service, and intentionality. As believers, we’re called to reflect God’s love by serving others through simple acts of kindness and generosity, letting our compassion reach neighbors, friends, and family.
Much of my young adult life I confess that I thought of God in a transactional way. If I did certain things or performed a certain way, I would be rewarded in faith. The Catholic faith to which I converted to was rich in prayers, traditions and practices that can feed into this way of thinking. I was like a good Pharisee.
In the U.S. we celebrate July Fourth and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, a document that declared the thirteen American colonies independent from Great Britain. We celebrate with picnics and fireworks, reminding us of the treasure of our freedom.
I’ve been thrown off my schedule with all my travel as of late. As I get older, I’m finding it takes more effort to exercise my “rule of life” when I’m thrown out of the comfort of my routine. As I write this, the veil has been lifted allowing me to see the invitation to invite more spontaneity in my life and be “fully alive.”
Much of the Bible calls us to entrust our lives completely to God compelling us to meditate on the meaning of faith. The Scriptures rest upon faith and remain inspired by the Spirit of faith.
Smitten With Goodness 