The joy of the Gospel
August 11, 2023
“The joy of the Gospel is such that it cannot be taken away from us by anyone or anything (see Jn 16:22). The evils of our world – and those of the Church – must not be excuses for diminishing our commitment and our fervor. Let us look upon them as challenges which can help us to grow.”
Reflection: Is there anything in your world that distracts you from the joy of the Gospel? Who or what helps you overcome such challenges to growing as a Christian disciple?
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excerpt from “Times of Transition” article by Emily Stimpson Chapman, OSV Newsweekly
Mt 16:24-28
During my doctoral studies in Boston, my wife was a youth minister. Because she was supporting me in the lifestyle to which I had grown accustomed (that is, the only source of actual revenue in our home), I, therefore, also functioned as a de facto youth minister, especially on annual summer service trips. This privileged position meant spending a week each summer sleeping on the ground in a non-air-conditioned public school, painting homes each day and then enduring non-denominational religious programming each evening.
