In a recent homily, my pastor said something that made an impression on me and which I have tried to remember as I go about my daily life – ‘Joy is our response to God’s love!’ With so much turmoil in the world, rising costs of everything, and depressing news cycles, it is easy to lose sight of the ordinary sparks of joy that surround us daily and succumb to negativity and pessimism. In doing so, we also miss the chance to respond to the goodness of God’s love for us.
I recall a book I discovered during the height of the pandemic by Christopher de Vinck and published by Loyola Press called The Center Will Hold: An Almanac of Hope, Prayer, and Wisdom for Hard Times.
At that time, sheltered in place and longing for big family celebrations or in-person gatherings that fostered true fellowship rather than the exhausting virtual Zoom meeting fatigue, Vinck’s book came in handy. His personal stories reminded me of the extraordinary gifts I can find in the seemingly ordinary events and circumstances of my life if I only looked for them. One quote from the book particularly struck me. It read: Cherish what is simple. Be in awe of what is great.
In marriage, as in life, we can overlook the extraordinary by taking the ordinary for granted. We forget to cherish simple acts of love our spouse does for us. We do not recognize the awe in having God present in our sacrament, raising our relationship above the ordinary.
Recently, a friend’s car broke down close to her home. She waited nearly two hours by herself for AAA to come and help her. Hearing that story, I wondered where her husband was. I knew that if the same happened to me, my husband would have come to my assistance immediately, even if just to sit and keep me company while we waited for a tow truck. Cherish what is simple.
There is a picture of my husband and me holding hands as we walked ahead of our granddaughters last summer in Newport. When my husband asked my granddaughter why she took it, she said, “I like seeing the two of you in love.” Cherish what is simple.
Butterflies still flutter inside me when my husband kisses me. The intimate moments we share are sacred and holy times for me as I treasure the precious gift of our physical love that God has blessed us with through our Sacrament. Even after 35 years together, and through the changes in our bodies and in our differing needs from where we were when we were newlyweds, there is still an excitement and exhilaration in this aspect of our relationship. Be in awe of what is great.
My husband reaches out to hold my hand when disturbing news of a family member’s illness pains me. I know his hand is God’s hand, right there beside me, loving me through him. There is warmth and security in knowing God hand-selected this man to journey with me in good times and in bad. Be in awe of what is great.
God wants us to be happy. Every day, He sends us moments to revel in His love by experiencing joy in our lives. Sometimes the joy is difficult to find, but that does not mean it is not there. Maybe all it takes to discover it is mindfully cherishing what is simple and being in awe of what is great.
By Mary-Jo McLaughlin