Testimony of The Praise Night ~ By Henry Shu 1 Cor. 1:18"The message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God."
Sadly to say, I must confess that my personal decision take up my cross and follow our Lord as my Savior and King was not at my Baptism nor my Confirmation.It came some years later when I was in school at Berkeley. There, I was under a lot of trials from those around me, as well as trials from myself. Living with a roommate that was an atheist really did that to me. Mostly during the late night talks. My decision was made at one instant in time. I believe that the series of events (perhaps even since my birth) was to lead me to it. Since then, has my life gotten any easier, or better? No. In fact, I think there have been more crosses, and trials to bear because of my decision. But I have to say, I don't feel that they were "harder." I know that they would have been difficult without any help, but help always came.After my decision, I didn't think that I've personally changed much for the better outwardly, as in my actions and the things that I did. Not for the better anyway. I definitely wasn't "holier" or a "better Christian." In fact, I seemed to recognize even more faults that I had thought were good aspects of my life! Proof of what St. Terese of the Child Jesus said, "Since any small good that I do can be mistaken for a fault, the mistake of calling a fault a virtue can be made just as easily."Now that I look back, I can see something has definitely changed. It is my joy that comes from Hope. That is probably of the first things that people have told me that they see in me. Many people have asked me why I'm so happy all the time. I'm saddened when they are not religious and I'm unable to share the faith that my Hope is grounded in. I can't share with them how this wonderful omnipotent God designed me and created me for a purpose and that I will be fulfilled one day because I was meant to be. That this God can do everything I can possible imagine AND everything I can't even begin to imagine all out of love for me. That He gave me this life, this time on Earth to do what I want and all I have to do is try to follow Him in his Will and I will have need for nothing else. And so, sometimes it makes me even more sad when a Christian asks me why I'm so happy all the time.Then there are the people that meet me, or just see me and don't even ask me "why." They just say, "wow, that's so great that you're happy!" "Wow, I wish I could be like that, happy all the time and not seem to have a care in the world!" And from there, it can only go downward. Comments start becoming judgmental, but I don't mind. "Maybe he was just born that way, happy all the time!" But I assure you, I was not born this way! I know of dark times, as I'm sure everyone that's ever lived has. Then there's the "Maybe he's just ignorant of the terrible things in the world!" I'm working on that. I know of the current events as best I can. I know of the atrocities against human dignity happening all over the world. But it doesn't shake my Hope, and so, cannot touch my joy. Of course, there's the "He's just crazy!" Perhaps I am! A good friend showed me this quote once and I think it so true."If the world is sane, then Jesus is mad as a hatter and the Last Supper is the Mad Tea Party. The world says, Mind your own business, and Jesus says, There is no such thing as your own business. The world says, Follow the wisest course and be a success, and Jesus says, Follow me and be crucified. The world says, Drive carefully - the life you save may be your own - and Jesus says, Whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. The World says, Get and Jesus says, Give. In terms of the world's sanity, Jesus is crazy as a coot, and anybody who thinks he can follow Him without being a little crazy too is laboring less under a cross than under a delusion."
And the comment I love to hear most is: "He's happy all the time because he's foolish! What a fool!"1 Cor. 1:23"...but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews, and foolishness to Gentiles."!!!<
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