Anyone with half a brain could easily deduce that humanity — society, the world — is on the brink of personal ruin if not global annihilation. So what does that say about Catholics? Well, it appears to be further proof (as if any were needed) that we:
a) don’t have a clue;
b) have our heads in the clouds or stuck in the sand.
But what appears to be isn’t necessarily what is. And if what appears to be is now the conventional wisdom on the subject, it could well be we Catholics aren’t doing such a bang-up job letting other people in on our “little secret.”
In fact, we aren’t supposed to keep it a secret.
So how do we really view the world and all the calamity that strikes throughout it? All the suffering that hits individuals, including us?
Several years ago I heard a joke that really appealed to my Irish-American Catholic sensibilities: “Most folks say life is serious but not fatal. The Irish say life is fatal but not serious.”
In a sense, that’s the truth about us Catholics. Life here on earth ends but still we smile. We readily admit: “I’m going to die. You’re going to die. Everyone we know and love is going to die.” But still we laugh.
Not always. Sometimes we, like all humans, weep bitterly, but still we have reason to laugh. We, after grieving, return to laughing. Not because we’re demented. Not because we’re Pollyannas. (I checked some reference books and could find no “St. Pollyanna.”)
No, we Catholics, despite all we see, hear and experience ourselves, are a Pink-Candle People. And we have been since the event now known as “the Church’s birthday.” That’s Pentecost. The day the Holy Spirit blew through the upper room and filled the hearts, minds and souls of the apostles and others with his gifts.
Those early followers were dismayed and terrified on Good Friday. Amazed and hope-filled on Easter. Confused and timid on Ascension. And set on fire on Pentecost.
Now the Church reminds us liturgically – just as we are to share “our secret” and remind the world even as we live in the world – that in the middle of waiting, there is reason to rejoice. Having reached the halfway point in Advent, we look to the end of it. We anticipate what will be.
How can we not? The Church tells the story annually – that’s what the liturgical year is all about – but we know the end: Christ triumphs.
We know we’re offered the same “final page”: We each can triumph with him. Forever. Live forever in complete happiness.
The Church tips its hand each Lent, too. The Latin name for the third Sunday in Advent is Gaudete Sunday. For a time, the fourth Sunday in Lent was known as Laetare Sunday. Both mean – loosely translated – “whoop it up, boys and girls.”
But that invitation comes with two conditions attached to it:
First, we aren’t simply celebrating “pie in the sky, by and by.” We are to rejoice, in the middle of this world, in the middle of all this mess, because the Kingdom of God is among us. His reign has begun and we can be a part of it.
Simply put, we can have a taste of heaven here on earth. Right here and right now the Father loves us like a daddy. Jesus welcomes us like a brother. The Spirit is ready to fill us with his gifts.
Our God is with us.
And second, we can’t ignore the pain and suffering of others. We can’t smile and say “God loves you” and walk on by. As Catholics we are obligated to work toward alleviating that pain and ending that suffering. That is a central part of being in the kingdom while on earth.
As Jesus pointed out, when we do that we are helping and comforting not just those we hold near and dear but Him (Matthew 25:31-46).
A pink candle reminds us that although the world often seems to be on the eve of destruction, we’re still believers in the new Adam.
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Bill Dodds’ latest books are Your One-Stop Guide to How Saints Are Made and Your One-Stop Guide to the Mass (Servant Publications); and 1440 Reasons to Quit Smoking: One for Every Minute of the Day and What You Don't Know About Retirement: A Funny Retirement Quiz (Meadowbrook Press). His website is http://www.BillDodds.com. You can email him at BillDodds@BillDodds.com.
