JOY by Rick Klarmann

Please consider taking a few minutes to meditate on this thoughtful sharing by our brother, Rick Klarmann. Rick is a very talented writer and he shares his thoughts on Joy.
We would love to hear your comments.

How often I have heard someone else say, we need to bring back the joy to Cursillo. Some believe that when we lost Las Mananitas and Serenade we lost a lot of the passion in the community and ultimately Cursillo. Those two events allowed members of the community to physically show their support for the team and new cursillistas in tangible ways. That taking these very special events out of the weekend took the joy with it.

If the joy truly left, where did it go?

I hope you will find that it never really left. Like all things it changed.

Many of us are/were married or have someone very special in our lives. We started off the relationship by spending hours with them. We talk for hours on the phone, saying little, but are comforted by knowing the other person is there. When they spend time with someone else, even a friend, we might event experience a twinge of jealousy. Each day we love that person more than the day before.

Then, in some case we marry that special person. The love that flames the first few years of marriage often must give way to reality. We quickly discover that we cannot spend every waking moment together. We have jobs, friends, other interests and sometimes children that demand our presence and time. As the reality of living sets in, and with it the demands of time, does love leave the relationship? Do we stop loving? Depending on your definition of love, I would say, “No.”

Love is more than the physical feeling exists between two people. Even though the passion may diminish with the passing of time, love does not. Passion cannot be sustained indefinitely but love remains. Passion, like a candle burning brightly, will eventually burnout, but love like a flower grows, like a butterfly changes. Love deepens; it grows, but does not die. Love is staying awake all night to care for a sick loved one. Love is holding the hand of a loved one, when they no longer recognize who you are. Love is feeding a loved one when they no longer can feed their self. Love is the example that Jesus gave us on the cross.

So now we ask the question, has the feeling of joy left Cursillo? To which I might have to say, “Yes, at times.” However, the reason may not be as palatable. Think about these two words—joy and pride. At the center of joy is the letter “O.” “O” is a circle—no beginning, no end; encompassing everyone. At the center of pride is “I”. So if the joy left, what replaced it?

I hope the following example will explain what I mean. First I must give credit to where credit is due. The story came from Fr. O’Donnell during a recent retreat at Malvern, PA. The story was talking about prayer but I see the truth of this story in so many areas of life, especially in community.

Two men, St. Al and Bob go to church every day and spend one hour just being with our Lord. When St. Al enters the church, it is as if the angels immediately begin ministering to him. He almost glides to his pew in the front of the church. St. Al enters an ecstasy know only by a few saints and for the entire hour he is filled with joy.

On the other hand, Bob enters the church and finds the first open pew in the back. Heavy laden with the pressures of the day, he kneels down with almost a thud. He buries his head in his hands and begins to pray. Almost immediately his thoughts race back to the pile of work still left for him to complete before he is done for the day. Almost shaking his head, he refocuses his efforts, realizing he is there to pray. Moments go by and he looks from the altar to the ceiling. Looking up Bob sees huge ceiling fans and wonders what I took to put them up there. Then, he realizes he is drifting again and refocuses his efforts on praying. It doesn’t take much time and Bob’s mind is wandering again. He sees the cracks on the walls and wonders how long they had been there and when they be repaired. Again he refocuses his effort. Bob looks at his watch and realizes he has 59 more minutes to be in prayer.

Now it has come to pass that the entire world has come to a revelation—there is no God. Aliens have come to earth and explained what they did and how they did it. All the religions of the world have accept this new truth. St Al and Bob too have come to know that God does not exist.

After learning that God does not exist, which of these men will continue going to church?

At first thought, you might think both men will quit, but remember St. Al came to church and had an exhilarating experience. If there were no God, then something else gave him that feeling of Nirvana.

However, if there were no God, then Bob’s reason for going to church is also gone. His prayer was a struggle. Although his prayer time was filled with distractions and he persevered because the purpose was to spend time with God. It wasn’t about the feelings, it was about God.

Rarely do we do something that hurts or makes feel bad, unless it is better for us in the long run. We go to the dentist even though it may mean filling cavities because we want to maintain healthy teeth. We workout in the gym even though it may cause some pain, because in the long run we will be stronger and healthier. We eat healthy food and limit fats and sugar because we know it will make us healthier in the long run.

Conversely, we do things because they make us feel good or at least a little happier? We play, enjoy hobbies, and even eat the certain foods because we enjoy them. We spend time with our friends because we enjoy their company. What person in their right mind willingly spends time with someone who belittles and derides them?

I know myself and much of what I do is about me. Not all of the time, but often enough for me to realize that it is something that I must work on. However when it comes to spending time with and talking to God, it must be about HIM. Put it another way, it must be Jesus over you or JOY. If Jesus is the reason I do something, then it is Jesus over me.

It is not easy to say, but rather than mourn the loss of Las Manaitas and Serenade, we must find another venue to share the experience and the JOY. Remember it is not about us, but about Jesus. It is truly Jesus over me/you—JOY. When He is at the center, then the JOY returns.