Joy, Joy, Joy + Go, Go, Go

Welcome to Word for the Week, the series in which I:

share my experience of hearing God’s Word in Mass last weekend,
explore what I believe the Lord is calling me to do about that Word, and
ask how this Word might impact your life, as well.

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{Disclaimer: I’ve shared openly about overcoming a 3-year experience with Postpartum Depression! Still, I work vigilantly to foster healthy mental patterns now that I’m past that season of life. In today’s “Word for the Week,” I’m going to describe some of that process. I believe mental health is a crucial part of being a healthy individual.}

My sister, Veronica, and I parked in the side lot of the church. There were a dozen cars. I fished a black piece of fabric from my purse pocket and studied it in my hand for a moment. Then, with a resolute sigh, I stretched the cloth with both hands to secure the loops around my ears. My family has dual enrollment; at our other home parish, masks are optional. This was about to be my first time wearing a mask throughout the entire Mass. It was more challenging than I imagined.

There were plenty of humorous moments to balance the internal struggle. For instance, when we arrived, the greeters extended hand sanitizer to us instead of the hugs and the holy water that we normally receive. Also, the sound of 45 people attempting to sing hymns through cloth coverings? That was mostly hilarious until the lack of air became a problem. I realized it’s not going to be safe for me to sing with a face mask. Mostly, Mass felt like a circuitous mind game!

First, was gratitude to be back at church. Followed by anxiety that I wasn’t getting enough air. Then, the idea would arise to slow my heart rate by taking a deep breath. Yet each time I tried to take a deep breath, I instinctually reacted as though someone had their hand over my mouth. That wasn’t helpful. So I would pray harder, and focus on the wonderful fact that I was back in church! Gratitude would resume.

The Word continued to speak even in the midst of my attempts to stave off a panic attack. It was a 3-fold word, this time! First, it was “...speaking about the kingdom of God.” (That’s how Acts 1:3 describes what Jesus did with the apostles after His resurrection.) Then, it was “joy, joy, joy” and “go, go, go.” Those words were repeated in that order in the psalm response and in the offertory hymn (based on Matthew 28:19), respectively.

God is calling me to speak about the kingdom *right now*! And to be myself while I’m at it! #JoyIsMyMiddleName—Looks like social media is the way. So I may or may not need to become that Catholic mom/big sister on TikTok very soon. :0)

Do you need encouragement to proclaim the joy of the kingdom of God today? Here’s some! I learned from Catholic apologist Steve Ray that while John 11:35, “Jesus wept,” is often referred to as the shortest sentence in the Bible, it’s actually 1 Thess 5:16, “Rejoice always!” Because, according to Steve, “the first (verse) has 13 Greek letters but the second has only 12 Greek letters.”

So I’ll invite you to consider with me that even as Jesus weeps with us, He calls us to rejoice. And that's something worth speaking about.

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