Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
James Martin, S.J.February 26, 2019

Subscribe to “The Examen” for free on Apple Podcasts

Subscribe to “The Examen” for free on Google Play

Join our Patreon Community

Next week we’ll see the end of Ordinary Time and the beginning of Lent. Ordinary Time went pretty fast, didn’t it? Every year it seems to me that, at least as far as the church year goes, Jesus is born, baptized, and barely has time to enter into his public ministry of preaching and healing, before we start marking his Passion, Death and Resurrection. That’s always struck me as odd, since his public ministry was, according to the Gospels, anywhere from one year to three years, and his Passion was three days. In fact, so much emphasis is placed on Jesus’s suffering that we often overlook the joy in his life. But remember: he came, as he said, that our “joy may be complete.” And most of his public ministry, particularly his healings, would have been occasions of great joy. His first miracle, after all, was to make more alcohol for a party! So before we enter the somewhat somber season of Lent, maybe this week you can focus on something else: joy. Where do you experience joy in your life? Where does God bring you joy and where do you bring others joy? Remember the words of St. Paul: “Rejoice always!”

[Don’t miss any of the latest writings, podcasts and videos from Father Martin. Sign up for his newsletter.]

More: Prayer
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
JR Cosgrove
5 years 4 months ago

I suggest everyone read "The Little book of Gratitude." http://bit.ly/2Sq98wZ

Gratitude is the simple, scientifically proven way to increase happiness and encourage greater joy, love, peace, and optimism into our lives.

deglan deg
5 years 4 months ago

That's the best way we can do. Finding our happiness in our ordinary things are the best way to gbe happy all the time. I love spending time around tweaks and mod games from third party apps. That's my kind of happiness, So, I found ignition which is fullfilling my happiness through providing third party paid games for free.

The latest from america

“Preach,” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., talks with Deacon Greg Kandra about the homily he wrote immediately after hearing the news of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pa. this past weekend.
PreachJuly 18, 2024
A foundation says a legendary French priest and a lifelong advocate of the homeless has been accused of committing acts that would amount to “sexual assault or sexual harassment.”
The National Eucharistic Congress officially began July 17 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis with a powerful holy hour that saw tens of thousands of people kneeling in silent adoration before Jesus in the Eucharist.
OSV NewsJuly 18, 2024
Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández declared that the Vatican will only validate reports of Marian apparitions in “exceptional” cases that incur the special interest of the pope.