It has been such a special time for the Church as Pope Francis visits the United States. In honor of this visit, we are doing a special edition wallpaper this week that does not match with today's readings.
It is visible to all people the joy that this Holy man brings with him. In his homily for the canonization of Saint Junípero Serra on September 23, 2015 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception he says,
Rejoice in the Lord always! I say it again, rejoice! These are striking words, words which impact our lives. Paul tells us to rejoice; he practically orders us to rejoice. This command resonates with the desire we all have for a fulfilling life, a meaningful life, a joyful life. It is as if Paul could hear what each one of us is thinking in his or her heart and to voice what we are feeling, what we are experiencing. Something deep within us invites us to rejoice and tells us not to settle for placebos which simply keep us comfortable.
At the same time, though, we all know the struggles of everyday life. So much seems to stand in the way of this invitation to rejoice. Our daily routine can often lead us to a kind of glum apathy which gradually becomes a habit, with a fatal consequence: our hearts grow numb.
We don’t want apathy to guide our lives… or do we? We don’t want the force of habit to rule our life… or do we? So we ought to ask ourselves: What can we do to keep our heart from growing numb, becoming anesthetized? How do we make the joy of the Gospel increase and take deeper root in our lives?
Jesus gives the answer. He said to his disciples then and he says it to us now: Go forth! Proclaim! The joy of the Gospel is something to be experienced, something to be known and lived only through giving it away, through giving ourselves away.
The whole homily is absolutely amazing so you can read the full thing here. But we are very struck by this call to rejoice. There is a special call as Christians to rejoice in the Lord, despite the struggles of everyday living. As a reminder this week, download our free wallpaper for your phone and desktop below with Philippians 4:4. It was designed by Erica of Be a Heart.
You can also head to our shop to purchase the downloadable 8x10 print to support the Blessed Is She ministry.
Phone wallpaper
Desktop wallpaper
Jenna Guizar is a wife and mama in sunny AZ. She pretends to love football for her husband, reads lots of books to her seven lovely babes, and tries not to burn mac n cheese on the daily. In between football games, reading books, and [not] burning mac n cheese, she is the Founder + Creative Director of Blessed is She women’s ministry + community. Find out more about her here.
Walk with Us this Advent
Get Your Prayerful Planner
