No Bad Days

Seeing the good news rather than the bad news  

1 Corinthians 9:16-19  Brothers and sisters: If I preach the Gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! If I do so willingly, I have a recompense, but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my recompense? That, when I preach, I offer the Gospel free of charge so as not to make full use of my right in the Gospel.   

          Life is full of good news and bad news, ups and downs, highs and lows, successes and failures, good days and bad days. I heard of one pastor recently who had a long week when he received plenty of good news but also bad news. On Monday, he was told the good news that the Women’s Guild voted to send him a get-well card. But the bad news was the vote was passed by only 31-30. That sounds like our Ladies Auxiliary, except the Ladies Auxiliary would want their card back. On Tuesday, he got the good news that his women’s softball team finally won a game, but that was followed by the bad news that they had beaten the church’s men’s softball team.

          On Wednesday, he learned that the parish council decided to add more church parking. The bad news was they were going to blacktop the front lawn of the rectory. On Thursday, he heard that church attendance had risen dramatically the last three weeks. But the bad news was he realized that was while he had been on vacation. Finally, on Friday, he was happy to hear that the deacons all wanted to send him on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. But he also heard they were stalling until the next war broke out. Life always brings both good days and bad days, good news and bad news.    

          In the first reading today, St. Paul says he will focus on the good news rather than the bad news. St. Paul explains to the Corinthians, “Brother and sisters, woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” But do you know what the word “gospel” means? It comes from the Greek word “euanggelion” and literally means “good news.” In other words, even though St. Paul knows that life throws both good news and bad news at us all the time, he chooses to preach the “good news,” the gospel of Jesus Christ. But the good news of Jesus is not like other ordinary good news – like your women’s softball team beating your men’s softball team – but rather, it is the ultimate good news that finally trumps all the bad news. It’s like that popular bumper-sticker that says, “No Bad Days.” You see, one good day with Jesus is worth more than all the bad days in the history of the world put together. That’s the real good news.   

          Folks, let me invite you to focus on the good news, too, like St. Paul, instead of the bad news. And that’s not easy to do because people have a propensity to pass along bad news more than good news, we tend to complain about something rather and compliment someone, to talk about what’s wrong with the world rather than with what’s right. But today, make a firm decision “to preach the gospel,” the Good News. Here are some suggestions.  Look for a reason to compliment 3 people today. At the end of the day, write down 3 good things that happened to you today, and thank God for them. Bite your tongue when you feel the urge to criticize or complain about your spouse or co-workers.  Mark Twain famously said that he could live for two months on a good compliment; he liked to hear good news.

          My friends, I am convinced that there is a grace in every moment, that is, there is some good news everywhere. And if you can’t see the good news, maybe it’s because you’re not really looking for it. We always see what’s we’re looking for. After all, if the deacons really do send me to the Holy Land during a war, what better place would there be to die?  

          Praised be Jesus Christ!