Devotional column: “Happy Christians”

John Filipovich
19/1/2012

Recently, I read an interview with young travelers who, after searching for a fuller, more authentic expression of Christianity, converted to Orthodox Christianity. One of them said something that struck me. She said, “We were all tired of churches where people didn’t seem to be searching for literal salvation, but had settled for feeling happy as the meaning of Christianity.”

Christianity is not about feeling happy all the time, at least not in the way we ordinarily think of being happy. If salvation is defined in terms of emotional happiness or a sense of well-being, what does it mean if those feelings vanish during times of sorrow and hardship? Too many Christians put themselves through emotional roller-coasters trying to figure out why, if they love God, doesn’t He bless them with domestic tranquility and emotional happiness. If a man is thought to be blessed when he gets a new gold watch, does that mean that the guy who carries his grandfather’s pocket watch (or wears no watch at all) is not blessed?

In the mid-20th century, a young man, in England, after reading some church history, became interested in the Orthodox Church. It was primarily an academic interest at first, and he was rather content with the church membership he already had, but he began visiting Orthodox churches. If I recall the story correctly, he was not particularly interested in becoming Orthodox until he heard the people tell the news of their relatives who were among the millions of Christian martyrs, not in the Roman Empire of 2 millenia ago but in the Soviet-occupied Russia and Ukraine of his own era. Upon hearing these stories, he was convinced that Christianity was really not for those just looking for a quick feel-good spiritual fix but was rather a way of life that challenges and teaches its followers to seek the Kingdom and to be transfigured, here and now, so that when their property is taken away and when they were cast into prison to be tortured and seemingly forgotten and when death comes, in the midst of hunger and poverty, even in the form of martyrdom, the joy and happiness of Christ could not be taken away. This, he testifies, is the reason he was convinced that he should become Orthodox since these new martyrs were themselves Orthodox Christians. The man of whom I speak is now a well-known Orthodox author and lecturer, Metropolitan Kallistos (Timothy) Ware, of Oxford.

When the stories of the martyrs are read, one is often stuck by the joy with which they faced their earthly deaths. There are accounts of them encouraging executioners to dispatch them quickly and of how their journeys to the places of martyrdom were happy ones because they knew they would soon be meeting Jesus.

They also knew that martyrdom could very well be their calling if they chose to follow Christ because they had heard the Gospel: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12)

I suppose the question could be asked of all of us Christians: If we are not being reviled and persecuted, or at least willing to be so treated, because of our faith in and relationship with Jesus Christ, might there be something that we need to re-examine about our faith and our relationship with Him? Are we defining salvation as something that makes us feel good? We are warned of this in the Gospel: “…for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.” (Matthew 7:13) Or are we truly seeking literal salvation on the hard path also spoken of in the Gospel: “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:14) Upon this narrow way, as difficult as it may seem, is found true happiness, peace and joy “which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) – a happiness that the world cannot give or take away.

So, Christianity is not about feeling good, in the worldly sense, nor is it about being respectable or relevant; it’s about listening, really listening, to the Gospel and then denying ourselves and shouldering our crosses to follow after Christ (Luke 9:23), then letting Him transform us into His Holy People who can partake of the happiness of the Kingdom, here and now, even as we traverse this vale of tears.

Father John Filipovich, priest-in-charge of St. Jonah Orthodox Church, may be contacted at 432-364-2240 or johnf@bigbend.net. St. Jonah is the outpost mission for the Big Bend region.

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