The Power of Jude
The Goal of Physical Joy
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Those who involve themselves in motivating us to set our goals in the arena of Physical Joy do not meet with your typical underlying current of skeptical resistance. Most of us agree that a goal in life should be good health, having fun, and making money. In fact, many are convinced that's all there is, anyway.
However there's more to this than meets the eye. The writers point out that the concept of Fun is important because Fun is the first step to spirituality.
In life there are the givers and the takers. Contrary to our initial reactions, which are that the takers get what they want out of life and are thus more successful, the takers do not have as much Fun as the givers.
It's evident that those who look outside of themselves, and concern themselves with the welfare of others, are more comfortable and happy and having more Fun than those that always look inwardly, and who are only concerned with their own welfare.
Those that thrill in the gifts of nature, accepting with enthusiasm all of its beauty and simplistic magnificence, and share that enthusiasm with another, have more Fun than those who don't share. The joys of life are increased when they are shared with others. Sharing is Giving. Giving is Love. Love is Spirituality. For those who discover Fun, and Love, and find joy in Giving, time flies by, and they have laid for themselves the foundation for a happy, joyous and successful life.
We don't often think of asking St. Jude for the ability to Give to others and to Love, particularly when we are in the midst of an economic disaster, or other equally traumatic times. The failure of our economic life can bring terrible consequences. Consequences that often affect our health, leading to strokes, heart failure, and other bodily malfunctions. As economic times worsen, we tend to become paralyzed in our thoughts and actions, looking only inward, thinking only of the bad times, cursing our individual fate.
All too often we have witnessed the physical and emotional decline of once healthy and happy individuals who suffer the stress and anxieties caused from economic downturns.
Perhaps our first request of St. Jude should be for the gift of inner strength to cope with the negative situation into which we are thrust, and that our weakness of will and character not be permitted to allow the present disaster to be blown out of proportion, causing other, and perhaps more damaging, disasters.
No matter how bleak the situation appears, St. Jude can and will help. But you must help by helping yourself. You must eliminate self indulgent worry. Do not go backwards. Perhaps the answer is in Loving and Giving to others, just as St. Jude is prepared to do for each of us. As in so many things in life, Physical Joy comes from all that we give, not what we take. St. Jude is a constant reminder of this.
But the good deeds which endure are better in the Lord's sight for reward, and better in respect of hope.
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