Notker Wolf - Faith Can Give Us Wings: The Art of Letting Go

Why do you look so happy?

A woman asked me this question during her visit to Rome, and it prompted me to write this book. I hear this question more and more often in interactions with others. Who among us doesn't want to lead a happy life? It takes a person with vitality and curiosity to ask such a question, one who is willing to be transparent about her search and open to the response of others.

The question about happiness is far too important to answer with a quick platitude. What does it mean to find joy in life? What grounds me? What would you say if you were asked such questions? What is the foundation of your life?

In many respects, I realize that my life as a monk is quite different from yours. But we do share many of the same wishes, longings, and questions.

My answers grow out of my life experiences. They bestow methis much I am able to revealwith a great inner freedom.

Does it surprise you to hear that a monk, whose life seems to be bound by a strict set of rules, feels free? Perhaps you're even more surprised to hear me suggest that many of my experiences resemble your own. This is why I want to talk about them.

Those who remain full of questions are willing to take a hard look at their lives, examining both the beautiful and not so beautiful aspects of their experiences. Some may interpret this as weakness, especially those who think they have all the answers, but I don't agree. I regard seekers as strong people because they sense that life has a greater purpose than what they know, one that is always waiting to be discovered. Seekers are people in motion who will not be satisfied with premature answers because they want to come home to themselves. They do not deny the fragmentation they experience in their lives and in our world but are willing to face it on their own journey.

Where do you stand right now? Have you found your place in life, or do you feel that some changes are needed? If so, what can help to guide you?

My answers come as a witness to my own faith, but I am not always sure that my view of life will be understood. Why is this so? Because I sense that faith, at least as we often speak of it, has increasingly become a point of division. Some would like to believe but find themselves struggling with doubt and falling into despair because of the difficult questions they face or the disappointing experiences they've had in church. For others, the Christian faith has become irrelevant. When we read about religious issues, the topics are often controversial, such as pedophilia scandals, the pill, condoms, or the celibacy of priests.

These controversies are not my concern because I intend to tell you of the beauty, comfort, and joy that is ours because of our faith as Christians.

Joy, comfort, beauty: do we generally associate these words with Christian faith? If so, let us share our experiences. If these realities are not what you usually associate with believing, I would be delighted if you'd be willing to entertain the thought that there might be another side to the question. I share this in the hope that I can win you over in this journey of exploration and discovery.

Through my work as Abbot Primate of the Benedictines, I travel the world and am often deeply touched by the depth of joy and trust in God that I encounter among people. I see how faith is shaped by what I imagine to be mosaic stones. Entrusted to us in childhood, these pieces on the ground represent a foundation of our experiences, and yet they are part of a larger work that includes prayer and music, witness and community. This great mosaic is painted with the colors of hope, welcome, and carepieces that many of us have yet to discover.