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A Spirituality of Joy and Optimism

by Dr. Patricia Cooney-Hathaway

When the occasion warranted it, my father would remind me, You will get farther in life with honey than with vinegar. I recalled his advice when I read Pope Francis's apostolic exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel.

At a time when the New Evangelization runs the risk of being identified too narrowly with sin, the narrow way, and the all-pervading presence of the demonic, Francis, while acknowledging those realities, prefers to focus on a new chapter of evangelization marked by joy (no. 1). He introduces his message with John 15:11: I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

The pope's exhortation is optimistic yet challenging, calling us to be unapologetic about who we are as followers of Jesus Christ. He describes an evangelization of persuasion rather than confrontation; a theology that invites people to know the joy of sharing the message of Jesus rather than a theology of judgment and fear.

Here are a few examples of the pope's invitations that struck a deep chord in me as vital for a spirituality for the laity.

Pope Francis invites everyone to a renewed personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the source and inspiration of our evangelization. He shares with us a wonderfully positive image of Jesus: Whenever we take a step toward Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting with open arms. . . . How good it feels to come back to him whenever we are lost! . . . With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, he makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew (no. 3).

What is the key to Francis' new evangelization? Get moving! He calls everyone to be a missionary disciple of the good news. All the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction in the faith, are agents of evangelization, and it would be insufficient to envisage a plan of evangelization to be carried out by professionals while the rest of the faithful would simply be passive recipients (no. 120).

As missionary disciples, Francis cautions us to beware of Christians whose lives seem like Lent rather than Easter (no. 6). He reminds us that no one can receive the good news from evangelizers who are dejected, discouraged, impatient or anxious (no. 10). In whatever way we are called to live the gospel, Francis encourages us to begin with joy and confidence (no. 8)

Such optimism does not shy away from the challenges of our time. Francis identifies human trafficking, the narcotics trade, the abuse of minors, the abandonment of the elderly, etc., as posing challenges to evangelization (no. 53). As a response to such social evils, he offers a proclamation of the gospel as a basis for restoring the dignity of human life (no. 75)

A gospel way of life is not only about a personal relationship with God. It is also dedicated to bringing about God's kingdom of love and mercy in our world. Pope Francis reminds us, The Son of God, by becoming flesh, summoned us to the revolution of tenderness (no. 88). This revolution is expressed in a spirituality that finds Jesus in the faces of others, especially the poor and outcast, in their voices, in their pleas; a spirituality that serves them with tenderness and mercy (no. 91).

Pope Francis sees his personal mission as one of welcoming people to the life and energy of the gospel as an antidote to the despair and cynicism of the world. As such, he has been welcomed by millions of men and women as a breath of fresh air.

My father was right. Honey rather than vinegar, a message of joy and compassion, not just sin and condemnation, will enable men and women to find in Jesus the source and meaning of their lives. I have come to bring you life, life in abundance (Jn 10: 10).

Dr. Patricia Cooney-Hathaway

Dr. Patricia Cooney Hathaway is professor of spirituality and systematic theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary.

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Sacred Heart Major Seminary is a Christ-centered Catholic community of faith and higher learning committed to forming leaders who will proclaim the good news of Christ to the people of our time. As a leading center of the New Evangelization, Sacred Heart serves the needs of the Archdiocese of Detroit and contributes to the mission of the universal Church.