Having Joy in Uncertainty
The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Ascension
4.9 • 7.1K Ratings
🗓️ 26 December 2019
⏱️ 10 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The only things we can be certain about are the things that have already happened to us in the past, and we live in a perpetual state of uncertainty about the future. If we’re honest, we can all probably agree that it’s not really comfortable to be constantly wondering what your life will look like in a month, in six months, in a year. We are always worrying about the future—especially when we sense that some form of suffering looms ahead.
Father Mike walks us through the Five Joyful Mysteries: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple. He reflects on the fact that each of these joyful mysteries is marked with a profound uncertainty and suffering. And yet, joy is present.
Think about what what Mary must have felt like when the Angel appeared to her and told her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her—that she was going to be the mother of the Messiah. The Angel didn’t reveal details to her. He didn’t assure her that Joseph wouldn’t divorce her, or that they would have to travel to Bethlehem but that they would make it in time for her to deliver. Yet, amidst the uncertainty of the moment, Mary gave a joyful Fiat.
Joy can be present, because Christ is present. You are able to have a Merry Christmas today...not because there is no suffering, and no uncertainty, but because God is with us. Even in our darkness, we have seen a great light.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Here it comes. |
| 0:02.0 | S- |
| 0:23.0 | Barbara, she's like Buddha, like Buddha. |
| 0:25.0 | Hey Siri, pause. |
| 0:28.0 | Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz and this is the Scent of Resents. |
| 0:30.0 | One of my favorite Christmas albums when I was growing up as a kid was, has been Barbara Sarshan, |
| 0:37.0 | Christmas. |
| 0:38.0 | It reminds me, my mom would sing along and I just have these memories, right? |
| 0:41.0 | These memories of, oh gosh. |
| 0:43.0 | Hmm, don't want to get emotional. |
| 0:46.0 | My mom singing Tabarbara, the Christmas album, and it's just so good. |
| 0:51.0 | My mom, their voice is very, very similar. |
| 0:53.0 | I think my mom had a little nicer voice. |
| 0:55.0 | You know, it's so interesting when it comes to looking back on past Christmases. |
| 0:59.0 | Those are the only ones that are certain. |
| 1:01.0 | Like the thing about this. |
| 1:03.0 | History is the only thing that's certain, right? |
| 1:06.0 | I mean, the future death in taxes got that, okay? |
| 1:09.0 | But so much in our hearts we want certainty. |
| 1:12.0 | And yet at the same time we recognize this painful truth, powerful truth, |
| 1:17.0 | is that the only certainty you and I will ever experience in our lives in so many ways |
| 1:21.0 | is the certainty of the past. |
... |
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