A smile is worth a thousand words
By Fred Schaeffer, OFS
It is unusual for me to bring notebook and pen into Chapel during Adoration, but I did. It is so easy to take your total attention off Jesus: Adoration really means being with Him 100% so you try to look at Jesus all the time. Jesus is present on the altar, in chapel, in the Eucharist. Jesus is really present in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, that means, while I am writing this, He is directly looking at me, and He is probably wondering what I'm up to now. He's probably wondering why Br. Frederick can't even look at Me for one whole hour? And I looked up and smiled at Him! I thought of a wonderful word in my native Dutch "Glimlach," which means lit. "a glimmer of a laugh," I'd call that a 'smile, wouldn't you?
We smile inside, too. Our emotions aren't always visible to others, particularly if we smile in our souls where Jesus is present right after Holy Communion. Since Jesus is our source of joy, with our cooperation, smiling is very important. When you receive Jesus in the Eucharist everyday, your life changes for the better, and the reason is joy. I'm now sitting on a bed in a small monastic cell as I'm writing a part of these lines, looking out of the window at evergreen trees and a part of the roof of our house. I can see a patch of blue sky and the sun shines although it is cold out, surely not much more than in the mid-forties. I feel at home because Jesus is with me. Despite the fact that it is chilly, I feel warm because I feel His warmth. Being with Jesus, even though I cannot see Him with my eyes nor shake His hands or hug Him, nevertheless I feel His presence because He floods me with His smile.
In a few moments, I'll go downstairs to do some work. It looks like peeling potatoes, but all work is a joy, even the frustrations involved in the work. Think of the souls in purgatory... when you offer up your frustrations for the glory of God and for the souls in purgatory, at least your frustrations are doing some good!
Later in the day I worked with computer files. My computer is now in the office with the rest of the computers. This is wonderful because it is better for the computers that they are in a room that has at least some heat; its nicer for monks too. There are many times, particularly when I first come downstairs at around 5:20 AM, that the inside temperature is no more than 43°, and is on the way down.
As I was working on the computer, I mentioned to Br. Craig that some of his files were in a 'binary stream' format and explained that those files were probably sent to us from another computer. Br. Craig* made a joke about it because he had no idea what I was going on about. You see, Br. Craig still writes with a pen!!! Those exchanges or brief conversations during work periods (when we try to be silent) are a cause of frequent smiles. Jesus smiles at us even when we're discussing mundane stuff!
What also brings a smile to me interiorly is when Br. Craig or Br. John correct me. Religious have an obligation, in fact, a sacred duty to strive for perfection. My brother monks admonish me gently and often enough. A lot of this has to do with my diet and exercise periods. You see, since I got here in March, I've lost 47 pounds through dieting and lots of walking and tread-milling. I'm down to 170 (as of 12/16/1998) probably for the first (and last) time in at least 40 years. This also gives me a lot of joy, because my health has markedly improved and so has my disposition. I smile a lot these days and I have every reason to do so!
When Br. John is away, I usually function as "Hebdomidarian," (no that isn't a camel) that is, the person leading the "Office" (Liturgy of the Hours, seven times daily). Consequently, I am now much more familiar with these prayers and great joy fills me when it is time to pray because the prayers are very beautiful. Another reason to smile about as the day moves on. But that’s enough about us. Lets talk about you! What brings a smile to your face? You smile when someone is saying Good Morning, right? Ah... but what about the other person when you greet him or her? A "Good Morning" to many can make the difference between a great and a lousy day!
So please, give someone else something to smile about! Have you ever noticed how children look at adults and follow their every move? Acknowledge a child's look with a smile! You go to work and you enter your office or shop, you greet the people who are there, right? Or, you return from lunch and your spouse is there, and surely you ask how his/her morning went? Well, what about Jesus when you enter a Church? Do you dip your finger into the Holy Water and make the sign of the Cross carefully? Do you actually pray "In the Name of the Father (etc.)" or is your mind somewhere else? Do you genuflect or bow when you arrive at your pew or when you cross in front of the Tabernacle? Jesus wants to hear your personal greeting and you need to listen to Him as He speaks to you. Do make time for Him. Allow Him to smile at you when He gives you the grace you need every minute of the day. How about praying at meals? Secular Franciscans always pray at meals and so do friars and monks. Praise and thank Him every minute of the day, mentally, in between doing your job, your recreation, in between conversation with loved ones or friends, and He will bless you with joy in a way other people will be refreshed by what you have to say to them, and they will smile too! What you have to say to them won't be cheap or commonplace, but when you allow Jesus to smile through you, when you open yourself up to his loving grace, your attitude to others will change and they will come to see that you are, indeed, a Christian!
When you recognize God's smile, His grace, His gifts to you, His love in your daily tasks, you will naturally wish to sin less and hopefully not at all, because you hope to be with God for all eternity and that’s only possible if you live in a state of grace consistently. I'm often reminded that an act isn't sinful unless it is committed with intent. That maybe so, my sisters and brothers, but to reach heaven requires more. It requires a complete abstention from even venial sin, if possible. It requires perfection and the desire to be perfect, not in order to be perfect to show off (that would be pride), but because Jesus has told us to be perfect. As you progress in that search for perfection, for inner freedom, for a lessening of the bonds of slavery to sin, you will more readily recognize God's smile and you'll feel compelled to pass on the joy and inner peace to your loved ones, your friends and your neighbors. Even to strangers. It’s a long process; overnight results aren't frequent, but hang in there, keep trying and smile!
(*) Br. Craig Driscoll sadly passed away some years ago. I miss him. He was a dear soul.
Fred Schaeffer, OFS
(C0299.pdf Feb. 1999 repub. April 2, 2025)
"A Smile" was retitled to make it longer.