Smile for the Lord
“Say, cheese!” This is the most famous saying when we are about to be photographed. We smile when we are happy. For instance, we smile when we see something cute, like a dog playing with a baby on Instagram. But what about God? Do we smile when we see or talk to God? When we go to Mass and see simple bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, do we smile then? We have to smile for God each and every day because it’s He who gave us life and gave us the gifts we take for granted.
There are also unhappy moments in our lives. At times, we feel despair and sadness, and we cling to every emotion and action. When we despair, we choose to live by sadness rather than seeing the light of God beaming through the darkness. We all know that God is the light that guided the people of Israel through their journey in the desert, and it is the same God that guided the early Church in their persecutions. So then, the question is, why don’t we smile? Sometimes we feel that the light of God is not present through our physical eyes. However, we should ponder what the solution is to every problem we have. There are many answers, but to smile is probably one of the easiest due to what it signifies. When we smile, we say no to the Devil’s deceitfulness and remember the promise of Jesus right before he Ascended, “[R]emember I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Every time we smile, we not only remember the promise that Christ will be with us but that Christ is waiting for us in Heaven, waiting to give a mighty hug.
We are renewed each time we pray and attend Mass with the graces to keep on trudging towards the Kingdom of Heaven. Smiling is one way we show we are full of God’s grace. It’s like a sugar rush. The more times you smile, the more you show God is present with you. I can’t help but remember the weirdest times I smiled. I remember that during the 2400-meter run that my class participated in, I walked a portion of my fourth lap with my hands on my head, shouting, “It’s a beautiful day!” Some of my classmates were not impressed, but I didn’t care. I realized that in life, we take the small things for granted and that people need to smile more in order to realize the whole scope of life. After I finished the race, I laid down on the grass and shouted again, “what a beautiful day.” It was, and this time some of my other classmates agreed with me, and one guy even thanked God for this, our “beautiful” country of Canada. I don’t care if people thought I was weird at that moment. I knew that there are many other things I can be sad about, and running six laps shouldn’t be one. Christ has conquered it all for me, so why can’t I do this little jog in joy. Smiling is a chance for us to show victory; it is a chance to show love for each other and give hope.
Smile for the Lord each morning and every chance we get; smile at Mass, at school, when you first wake up and before you say your prayers. It’s the best way to keep the constant reminder that even though we will face failed tests and relationships in this world, they are nothing compared to the smile that Jesus will give us when we meet him in Heaven. I bet he wouldn’t say, “say cheese!” Instead, I’d bet he would smile and say, “let me welcome you home.”
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