“Joy is the most undeniable sign of the presence of God.” ~ Leon Bloy

Beginning in the early 1980’s, I began making regular jaunts to Weston, Vermont to spend time with the Benedictine Brothers at Weston Priory nestled at the foot of the Green Mountains. Benedictines have always known and given expression to the connection between faith and the arts. It’s amazing, for example, how many artists, craftsmen and women live in the general vicinity of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota.

The monks of Weston Priory have fostered a deep connection between spirituality and the creative arts. It was there in the early 1980’s that I first encountered the work of the illustrator Tomie dePaola. Tomie had briefly been a brother at Weston Priory. One of my children’s and my favorite books was Tomie’s retelling and delightfully illustrated The Clown of God, a well-known French legend. Given that over 5 million copies of his books have been sold, published in 15 countries, while receiving on average in the years before his death 100,000 letters from his readers, it is safe to say that dePaola was an ambassador of joy, an apologist for the power and need of laughter and delight.

Today is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the voluntarily poor man of God who was rich in friendships with all creatures, compassion, delight, deep sympathy, and joy. More than ever, in a world of woe and war, it is important that we practice what Dorothy Day called “the duty of delight.” Francis is a great exemplar of living a life of faith that consciously faces into the pain of the world and the sorrowful mysteries of life, while practicing the daily duty of taking delight, looking for and participating in the joyful mysteries of being alive. Francis teaches us that joy is not merely an emotion. It is a way of being, a way of going out to meet and greet the world. It is a perspective on life and a daily practice that enlivens. French philosopher Leon Bloy said, “Joy is the most undeniable sign of the presence of God.” Perhaps this is the reason so many to this day are attracted to Francis whose song was JOY.

REFLECTION:
+ Who is the most joyful person you know? What makes you say so?
+ What gives you joy?
+ Do you think as a practice joy includes not only receiving joy but bringing joy?

♣ GOODPEOPLE ♣

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