THE Scripture readings this Sunday are filled with positive images. Mark’s Gospel might distress us with images of the darkening of the sun and the moon and the falling of stars, but it dominantly reflects triumphant pictures of “the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory”; of angels coming down “gathering the elect from four winds”; of the great promise of summer with the sprouting of new branches; and the absolute assurance that “heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.”
The reading from the Book of Daniel speaks more of deliverance, transformation, and resurrection than fear and loss: “It shall be a time of unsurpassed events…Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake and shall live forever. The wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament and shall be like stars forever.”
These Scripture Readings reminds us of the main purpose of the Gospel, which is to proclaim to good news! It’ s not proclaimed to scare or castigate us; it’s not meant to put us down or discourage us. It’s role is to animate and motivate us, to bring joy and hope into our lives.
This is why we need to learn from those who preach the Gospel of Prosperity. More than the promise of material wealth or blessings, the Gospel of Prosperity, according to Fr, Robert Barron, should be about the ordering of our lives and souls. Our allegiance to Jesus, the triumphant King, promises inner peace and true joy, which the absolutes of this world cannot give.
Last Sunday, we had the privilege of having Bo Sanchez, a popular Catholic lay evangelist preach to our people during a prayer gathering. As I listened to him and witnessed his exuberance in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus, I could not help but remind myself that I need to reflect the same type of exuberance and joy when I preach the Gospel of Jesus. If I need to continue to be an effective preacher, I must manifest externally the happiness that I found in following Jesus.
All of us, Christians, are called to transmit joy in our life with Jesus to people around us. We can manifest this inner joy when we let go of worries; when we are flexible with people; when we are compassionate and understanding; when we learn to laugh at our problems instead of taking them too seriously; and, indeed, when we trust God completely with our lives.
Our constant challenge is to show anything but positive attitudes. After all, who wants to hear about bad new or witness negative behaviors all the times? In order to evangelize people, they need to see in every aspect of our lives authentic joy, which worldly matters cannot give completely.
During these holiday season, let us be more aware of this invitation to be Good News to others. Let us show to all people the difference of living in the Spirit of the Risen Jesus: a positive, healthy, and joyous life!
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Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas attended St. John Seminary in Camarillo, California and earned his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. For twenty years, he has been in the parish ministry of large multi-cultural communities. Since 2002, he has been the pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Los Angeles. Please email Fr. Rodel at [email protected].
