By Lisa Dahm
Hawaii Catholic Herald
According to Bishop Sam Jacobs of the Diocese of Houma-Tibodaux in Louisiana, it is possible to have a life of everlasting joy, in peace and love.
That was his message as the keynote speaker of the Hawaii Catholic Charismatic Conference at St. Philomena Church in Salt Lake, Aug. 11-13.
“Everything that is good, every blessing all comes from God,” he told the 200 attendees. “You know down deep that nothing can take away the presence of the Lord.”
The theme of the three-day conference was “Fill my Cup: Jesus is All I Need. Participants came from all the neighbor islands as well as from different charismatic groups throughout Oahu.
Also speaking on Saturday was Sacred Hearts Father Clyde Guerrero. More than 15 people attended a “Life in the Spirit” seminar Saturday afternoon presented by Tom Fragas. On Sunday, vicar general Father Marc Alexander and Oratorian Father James Moran concelebrated Mass with the bishop.
Bishop Jacobs said that each person has an assurance of eternal life by the grace of God because of his love.
“Sometimes, we don’t believe God loves us,” he said.
The response to the love and salvation that God gives unconditionally through the blood of Jesus Christ should be a reason for Catholics to rejoice and to thank the Lord, the bishop said.
“My joy is in the one who has given the gifts,” he said. “Sometimes we look at the gift and not the giver.”
Bishop Jacobs said that, even through pain or difficulty, it is important to “rejoice in the Lord always” and to appreciate the unmerited salvation by Jesus’ saving action.
Having joy in the Lord is an important theme of the Gospel, the bishop said, and a person can sustain the grace of joy that comes from the Lord “by desiring and responding to a more faithful relationship with God.”
Another important way to stay in joy, he said, is choosing to love without counting the cost..
“Don’t be content with a casual relationship with God,” he said. “Sell out to the Lord.”
Live joy by “turning away from sin and by living as fully as possible in the Gospel light,” he said.
“Sin causes an emptiness,” he said. “Joy is an infallible sign that God is in your life.”
“When Jesus is the center of our lives, we will not be shaken no matter what happens,” he said.
Bishop Jacobs said that to appreciate a life of joy, Christians must remain other-centered. Like Jesus, we must be willing to lay down their lives for God.
“Too often we wait and pray and we fail to go out and do,” he said. “Once the spirit came, they (the apostles) left the upper room.”
Not only is hearing the word of God important, he said, it must lead to transformation and helping others.
“We have to ask ourselves, ‘To whom shall I go to make a difference in someaone else’s life?’” he said.
Conference DVDs are available at $15 per session for six sessions or $5 per session by calling 455-3224.