“Singing with joy, even when the clouds of hardships pour down its rains!”

(Based on Is 11:1-10 and Lk 10:21-24 – Tuesday of the 1st Week in Advent, Year 1)

A lady, who was known to be a devout Christian, was undergoing a long time of suffering.

As she was visited by some of her friends who came to console here, she was heard to be commenting:
“I have a beautiful robin that sings outside my window.

This bird strengthens me.”

Then with a bigger smile, she continued:
“I like him, because he sings in the rain!
When the storm has silenced almost, all other birds…
… the robin sings on!
And that’s how my life is!”

The lady – who herself was suffering and going through the storms of life – found great inspiration in the robin…
… the one which sings, even in any storm or rain!

That’s the life of a Christian!

Anyone can sing, when its sunshine…
… but when the clouds of hardships pour out the rain, can we sing?

The Gospel of the Day, presents Jesus Who is rejoicing in the Spirit…
… “In the same hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, ‘I thank you Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth..’” (Lk 10: 21)

Jesus always displayed a great sense of joy and enthusiasm

He was a picture of calmness and serenity.

This was owing to His intimate relationship with His Father – His Abba!

He, of course, had His Own struggles…
… Rejection by His own people at Nazareth (Lk 4: 28-29)
… Very often facing the criticism of the people (Lk 5:30)
… Constantly being put under the scanner with questions (Lk 5:33)
… Facing the wrath of many religious leaders (Lk 6: 7, 11)

But none of these “storms” or “rains” prevented the Lord from singing the praises of His Father…
… and rejoicing in the Spirit

And He invites His disciples to also understand the great privilege they have received to experience the Love of the Father:
“Blessed are the eyes which see what you see…” (Lk 10: 23)

As followers of Jesus, we are also given the privilege to always be “people, who rejoice in the Spirit”…
… “people who can sing, even when it’s raining or in the midst of a storm!”

Are we often spending our days in sadness and complaint?

Or can we also become conscious of the many blessings, God showers on us… and thus rejoice!

Are we constantly looking for the negatives in our relationships?

Or can we also seek to treasure people, just for who they are, and begin to love them more!

Are we feeling that life is a burden and thus fail to have peace of mind and lightness of heart?

Or can we also begin to understand that as a Christian, we have the privilege to understand how God mightily works in our life, and is constantly showering His Love and Mercy on us!

Let us learn to imitate, Jesus, our Master, Who constantly “rejoiced in the Spirit”
… and thus make our Christian Life, a beautiful witness of God’s Love and Compassion.

Let’s listen to the words of St Mother Teresa of Kolkatta:
“Joy is a net of love by which we catch souls!”

Yes…
Anyone can sing, when its sunshine…
… but can we still sing when the clouds of hardships pours down it’s rains?

As we continue to nourish our spiritual lives in this Season of Advent, let us make a conscious choice to rise above our depressive and anxiety-filled situations…
… and to make our lives, a truly joyful one!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE SACRAMENT OF FORGIVENESS

Over the centuries, the concrete form in which the Church has exercised this power received from the Lord has varied considerably.
During the first centuries the reconciliation of Christians who had committed particularly grave sins after their Baptism (for example, idolatry, murder, or adultery) was tied to a very rigorous discipline, according to which penitents had to do public penance for their sins, often for years, before receiving reconciliation.
To this “order of penitents” (which concerned only certain grave sins), one was only rarely admitted and in certain regions only once in a lifetime.
During the seventh century Irish missionaries, inspired by the Eastern monastic tradition, took to continental Europe the “private” practice of penance, which does not require public and prolonged completion of penitential works before reconciliation with the Church.
From that time on, the sacrament has been performed in secret between penitent and priest.
This new practice envisioned the possibility of repetition and so opened the way to a regular frequenting of this sacrament.
It allowed the forgiveness of grave sins and venial sins to be integrated into one sacramental celebration.

In its main lines this is the form of penance that the Church has practiced down to our day. (CCC #1447)