Catholic Quotes Day 18

“The true way to advance in holy virtues, is to persevere in a holy cheerfulness.”

Saint Philip Neri

Cheerfulness

The thing about cheerfulness is that it has to be real. At least in my opinion. Forced cheerfulness puts me on edge, like it\’s people pleasing. But at the same time often one does has to put a little effort into being cheerful. Sort of a fine line. I guess it\’s more a case of who you are trying to be cheerful for, when and why.

If it\’s just to be thought of \”being\” a nice, cheerful person that\’s not so good. But if one is being cheerful to make oneself feel better or someone else feel better that\’s not people pleasing that\’s being nice. That\’s my perspective for today anyway.

Christmas time seems to be such a push to buy things. My email is flooded with Christmas specials and nervy, \”buy now or you\’ll be sorry,\” statements that its starting to get on my nerves. And I saw the most beautiful door hanging arrangement at Ross the other day that I just terribly wanted to buy because it was so, so pretty and I would have loved it for ever but I didn\’t. And I\’m sort of sad about leaving it in the store but I didn\’t really need it I just wanted it. Sigh.

And then I think of all the people in migrant camps and on the streets, cold and hungry and I wonder how are they handling things? A news story a week ago on Sixty Minutes I think said that the average stay in a migrant camp today is twenty years. Isn\’t that terrible? Twenty years?

It definitely puts things in a different perspective. And one can love something without buying it – it did make me happy just to see it – the bright, cheerful colors actually made my heart sing. So I will enjoy that I enjoyed it and move on. Like seeing a beautiful sunset without having to take a picture of it. Just loving it for the moment.

First Monday of Advent

Advent with Richard Rohr

And the USCCB has a free Advent Calendar download that I am going to print out. You might like it too.

Scripture quote for the day

 \”A joyful heart is good medicine .\”
Proverb 17:22

Daily Readings

Daily Readings from iBreviary | Liturgical Calendar | Saints Alphabetical

Please add \”your\” three gratitude moments in the comments. It\’s a great way to pick up your day and it\’s fun for the rest of us to read!

1. The smallest, smallest sprinkling of snow happy it\’s not more. 🙂
2. 24 days to Christmas!
3. Watched a funny show on my Kindle Netflix today. Don\’t think Jon is too interested in it so I watched myself. He\’s down watching his stuff. Oh my goodness we are getting to be an old married couple!

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