Altruism

Hello friends,

I'm sitting here thinking about all the many wonderful things I've learned during my internship this summer and reflecting on some of the joys of summer ministry. Besides donuts, one of the blessings of having an internship at a church with a school attached is that I get to see little polo clad youngsters being introduced to the beauty of the Mass.

Today, Mass was held in the gym with the majority of the St. Mary Magdalene School. They ranged from first grade through eighth, from the front of the gym all the way to the back. There were so many youth receiving the Body and Blood of our Savior and it almost brought tears to my eyes. I was filled with oodles of joy by the little ones learning how to cross their arms to receive a blessing up to the older kids starting their day with the most awesome supernatural food you can receive. Praise God for this gift of the Eucharist!!! After the Mass I learned that bracelets are somehow related to circuses. I'm not sure how that works out but I'm sure it's important nonetheless.

A small group of volunteer teens, loaded up on donuts and coffee, went into a small storage room and created an assembly line of joy (wounded arms and all). We knocked out moving supplies from one side of the building to the other in a matter of minutes, all with a smile.

What's the point of this morning's stories you may ask?

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Joy

The message Christ proclaims, "to love one another as I have loved you", comes with a side dish of abundant joy! Tasks that seems mundane and dreary become meaningful and lighthearted. Sitting on a gym floor becomes a spiritual refill for the soul. Moving individual water bottles becomes a fulcrum of laughter. The Lord has given us joy for the journey. He said it would be hard, but he also said that "[we] can do all things through Christ who strengthens [us]" (Philippians 4:13). He also said that like a Father would not deny his children, when you ask, you will receive. Ask God for that joy when you're having a tough day. God will grant you grace for the journey, for whatever task you are undertaking. Like my friend Adam Trufant likes to say (because Br. Edward gave him the idea), ask God "can I borrow your smile".

Everyone's talking bout the wars and the weather but I don't wanna be down

Can I borrow your smile?

God bless you!

Matt Merry