Christian Living

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The festival of Christmas is celebrated with great happiness all over the world because the birth of Jesus brought hope and joy to the whole humanity. It was an announcement of freedom from all bonds, including the sufferings of sicknesses. Jesus told his disciples to take this Good News all over the world and spread joy everywhere. Spreading the Good News is nothing but spreading happiness.

Spreading Happiness is spreading Good News

God is good and He gave the world the Good News to be happy through a shared life. Jesus was born on this earth to show an example how to be happy on this world by sharing love. He gave the new commandment to his disciples to love one another and the Heavenly Father and make life on the earth a paradise.

Many people who say that they spread the Good News (Gospel) keep their faces deadly serious and anxious. This gives to others an opinion that the Good News is something not to be happy about. Whatever gives an experience that implies sadness and stress may not be considered as good. Is the Good News so serious as to be sad and sorrowful? Jesus was always insisting to be fearless and free from worries and anxiety.

Good News is a message of happiness

When Jesus was born an angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds in the field and gave them good news of great joy for all people: A true follower of Jesus will be happy and make others happy. Good News is to lighten up hearts. Saints showed this attitude of happiness in their lives. Trusting in God’s providence makes one take up things lightly and express humor even at the moment of death.

Humor even at the face of death

Words come out in humor when heart is filled with happiness. That is why Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) His followers were able to say jokes even at their hour of death.

This sense of humor made St. Lawrence joke at his executioner, while he was being slowly roasted to death over flames on an iron grill, with words, “Turn me over. I'm done on this side!” Such was his strong faith and sense of humor even at the face of death.
Faith in God and His providence made St. Thomas More make a joke to the lieutenant, while he was mounting the scaffold.

Humor gives a new perspective to Christian life

St. Philip Neri, a holy priest, was using jokes to bring people to God. Once when a penitent asked him permission to wear a hair-shirt as a kind of penitence, Philip Neri told him to wear it over the clothes which would cause people laugh and think. The penance was to bear the ridicule that resulted.

Humor heals. Humor is the panacea of humanity to walk through the valley of tears happily. It is the way of God to feel the road of life smoother.
Spreading Good News is nothing but spreading happiness.

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