Joy in Meaning: The Life of a Priest in a Foreign Land | by Emory Cooper

In Silence thus far, Rodrigues and Garrpe have had to do a lot of hiding in fear of their lives. Yet despite the peril Rodrigues seems find meaning in what he is going through. "Never have I felt so deeply how meaningful is the life of a priest" (Endo, p.31). Furthermore, he finds joy in his and Garrpe's work, even though it comes at a high risk. "I thrilled with joy as I listened to the solemn voice of Garrpe as he recited the baptismal prayers. This is a happiness that only a missionary priest in a foreign land can relish" (Endo, p.38). Then on page 45, Rodrigues makes a striking correlation between his sense of meaning and his sense of joy. "Feelings of joy and happiness suddenly filled my breast: the feeling that my life was of value and that it was accomplishing something" (Endo, p.45). It looks as though the priest finds his joy when he finds that he is accomplishing his purpose in life, in spite of the surrounding danger. This relationship between joy, meaning, and hardship may bear implication not only for the priest, but for every person. How do you think we can apply this concept to our own lives?

I commented on Lily's and Alex's posts.

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 12, 2022 at 12:25 AM

    I kind of read your post like "to find a type of happiness, one must find their purpose in life". I agreed with that. During college, students are finding out who they are and what they can do for the world. We talked about the feeling of completeness in class, and I think Rodriguez is getting his happiness from the feeling of completeness.

    ~Madalyn Dillard

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  2. Lily CaswellApril 12, 2022 at 9:25 AM

    I definitely think that finding joy in hardship is something that we can only truly do through Christ. I also agree with Madalyn that Rodrigues is getting his happiness from feeling complete but also through Christ.

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