“I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness.”

Good morning.

This part of St Paul’s letter to the Philippians was my mother’s favourite reading. She died about 11 years ago and she insisted that it be read at her funeral. Two days before she died she planned her own funeral and told me that she did not mind what other readings we had or what hymns we sang, but she wanted us to have that reading. I think she intended it as a message for our entire family, but especially perhaps for myself.

She was not a sentimental woman. Her only other demand was that there should be no eulogy ­ as she said: “Virtues are invented for the dead.” She lived an ordinary life and she believed that grace was to be found in the ordinary life ­ and its ENJOYMENT.

Sometimes we forget that the basic ­ the most fundamental - responsibility of the Christian life is to ENJOY it. Sometimes people ­ and especially bad preachers ­ can fill the Christian life full of “Thou shalt nots” ­ so much so that we can be tempted to focus too much of our attention not on living well, but on not living badly. Sometimes we worry so much about the abuse of things ­ especially money, sex and power ­ that we forget how to use them well. Sometimes we worry so much about avoiding the deadly sins that we forget that what is so deadly about them is that they detract from the joy we have in the Christian life.

It is said that there was once a group of professors from a big English University who went to stay for a week with Mother Theresa in Calcutta. They were amazed and overwhelmed by the love, the kindness and the gentleness they found there. At the end of their time, the leader of the group went to see Mother Theresa to ask what way she thought they ­ professors at a big, powerful American University, could best contribute to building Christ’s kingdom on earth.

She thought for a moment and said, “Well, you could begin by smiling at each other!”

She explained that her sisters had been shocked and horrified that these professors never smiled at each other ­ never showed any sign of love for one another. If they wanted to build the Kingdom of God on Earth, then they first had to start building it among themselves.

And that, I think is the point of John the Baptist’s rather mild orders to his followers ­ When people ask him what they must do to be saved ­ he tells them just to do their job ­ do it right and fairly to the best of their ability ­ no less and no more. Doing your job ­ doing what the Lord has asked of you in building the kingdom may be a very ordinary and simple thing ­ it may mean leading what seems on the surface a very ordinary and simple life that will never shake the world’s foundations and will never get you on Television. But if we have the grace to do it with JOY ­ with willingness ­ with love - then each of us will be making our contribution to building the Kingdom. “I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness.”

Let us stand and profess our Faith in the Father who wants us all to be happy.

Mount Street Jesuit Centre,
114 Mount Street,
London SW1K 3AH.
ENGLAND.
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