A
pastoral bulletin has an article by a priest on happiness. He tells the
story of a teacher who was always laughing and one of his disciples
recalls he never showed any signs of sadness. Nearing death the
disciple asked him what was the secret of his happiness.
"You are facing death, how is it that you can laugh about it? Without
doubt there have been times in life when things have been unpleasant and
you have experienced sadness, how come you never showed that in
your demeanor?"
The teacher quietly responded: "I met my teacher when I was 17 years
old. I already knew sadness and suffering, and always felt depressed. My
teacher was always laughing and I asked him the secret. 'Why are you
always laughing?' He answered: 'I was like you for many years, overcome
by sadness. One day the thought came to me that I was in charge in the
way I was to live my life. From that time on when I woke up in the
morning I would ask myself what would it be today? Would I be happy or
unhappy?' "
Happiness is something that I will have to choose. Are we walking with
God or not? Saints are those who have made the decision to walk with
God and they are our example of a life well lived. This requires
'metanoia' -- change.
Every
morning when we awake from sleep which is like death, we are born again
to a new day. We like the saints are living a life of 'metanoia' and walk
with God. It is my decision to make, and we know that we have the
help that we need so life should be one long 'Deo Gratias' (Thanks be
to God).
Paul Bourget (1852-1935), a French thinker said: "One must live the way one thinks or end up thinking the way one has lived." A person who is always walking with God will even at death be able to thank God for his life.
Every morning when we open our eyes, we give thanks. Our life is one of change and each day we are giving another chance to walk with God which elicits from us a heartfelt: Deo Gratias.
