5 January, Monday – The Speed of Joy

Monday after Epiphany Sunday

1 Jn 3:22-4:6
Mt 4:12-17, 23-25

He withdrew

The challenge to withdraw, to leave the crowd, the fun, the friends, the family, the aliveness, in the centre of NOISE, and just be silent. That is easier for some than others, is it not? It has always been a bit difficult for me, a people-person extrovert to leave, to say ‘no’ to any invitation. As a child, a teen, a young adult and even a not-so-young adult, I would do almost anything to not be alone. Being with others was my ‘need’. Being in conversation was my need. Being wherever my friends were was my need. COVID really helped to slow me down, and that was a gift I received during that scary, unknowing, stay-at-home (fairly easy for retired/semi-retired people) heartbreaking pandemic. However, a few months ago, I realized I seemed to be back at pre-COVID busy/hurry/fast mode – and I realized why I was feeling so mentally and emotionally untethered, making little mistakes here and there… consistently.

As I age/grow in my walk with Christ and my ‘awe’ of God, withdrawing is a want, a need, that I can pinpoint to my first silent retreat in January 2019. And I clearly see in scripture, time and time again how often Jesus withdrew from the crowds, his friends, and even his closest family and friends. And in the last few months, it seems that not only the Church, but the world (at least in America) is reminding, alerting, notifying, informing and even warning us that slowing down and retreating is VITAL.

Over Advent, my Zoom bible study group studied a recent book by Matthew Kelly, ‘Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy’. The Ascension App featured a 26-Day Advent study with Fr. Mike Schmitz, WAITING WELL, with a Waiting Well study guide filled with daily reflections. On the Hallow App, the Advent Pray 25 was entitled BE STILL and Chris Pratt had weekly reflections (and several of my friends in church ministry were reading ) on a popular new book, ‘The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World’ by John Mark Comer.  And I purchased a book as a gift to my son-in-law for Christmas by Charlie Kirk, ‘STOP in the Name of GOD Why Honoring the Sabbath will Transform your Life’.

Matthew Kelly reminds us, “We make dozens of choices every day. Each choice aligns us with the rhythm of life or destroys the rhythm of life…Life is a marathon, not a 100-meter sprint”. He goes on to say, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt 22:37-39) In forty words, Jesus gives us a guide to life. In forty words, he gives us a mini-Gospel. In forty words, he gives us an examination of conscience. In forty words, he essentially says: If you are looking for something to measure your life by, use this!

As we have just begun the new calendar year, my prayer for myself, and for you, is to SLOW DOWN so that we will see, feel, share and breathe in the JOY of the MOMENTS – THE JOY OF THE LORD. That we as humankind, and especially as Catholics will fully withdraw on the Sabbath and be a part of the mystery and awe of honouring, truly worshipping Our God.  That we, as Christians, will truly live differently than the secular world; as Mary did, as the disciples did, as many Saints did/do…as Jesus did.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Gina Ulicny)

Prayer: Lord God, help me to slow down to the speed of You. 

Thanksgiving: Father God, thank you for this time You have created me to be a part of, and for the gift of my faith.