by John Sorce
john.sorce@theleaven.org
LEAWOOD — About 800 people gathered at St. Michael the Archangel Church here the night of Feb. 25 for a speaker who exudes passion about the Catholic faith.
That speaker was Chris Stefanick, an internationally acclaimed author, speaker, and television host who has devoted his life to sharing the love of Jesus and helping others to do the same.
His REBOOT event is a dynamic renewal experience designed to bring new energy and vitality to its audience. The event starts with an inspirational and spirited unpacking of the heart of the Gospel and concludes with practical ways of applying the Gospel in everyday life while helping participants rediscover joy.
The talk was broken up into three sessions: The Gospel, Living Joy and Go Forth.
The Gospel
In his first talk, Stefanick said every human motive comes from a desire for joy because God created us for joy. He urged listeners to see life as a love story that begins with, “We believe in one God.”
“All our lives, we are looking for love,” Stefanick said. “There is a love that encompasses every other love story . . . and this is what makes life a cause for joy.”
That story is found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our souls, he said, are hungry for “more than food, pleasure, power and likes,” because we were made for more. But since the fall, “we have been looking in the wrong places for satisfaction.”
“I am reminded at every Mass what I am worth. . . . the Body of Christ,” Stefanick said.
Understanding God fully isn’t required to accept his love.
“This love story is not about your perfect love for God,” he said. “It’s about God’s perfect love for you.”
Living joy
Joy is not just a feeling when life is going well, Stefanick said, but what happens when we remember we are loved even when life feels like a mess.
“If you pay attention . . . it is a battle over your joy,” he said. “The devil will never stop battling to take it away from you.”
To remain in that joy, Stefanick promotes three practices: Give thanks, love yourself and frame your mind with faith.
Reflecting on COVID, he recalled how division damaged relationships.
“If that was you, repent, call people and apologize,” he said, adding that reducing people to one issue “is not the mind of Christ.”
Gratitude, he said, must be intentional. So must self-love.
“The word of God says you are my beloved. . . . If the words in your head don’t agree . . . you’re wrong.”
Finally, Christians must see life through faith, not circumstances.
“We tend to define ourselves through our circumstances,” he said, but those are only part of a bigger story, grounded in Christ’s promise that no one will take away our joy.
Go forth
“When we forget whose we are, we forget who we are,” Stefanick said, calling Christians to share their faith with others.
That begins with courage.
“Don’t ever hold back from speaking the truth. . . . We’re fearing wrongfully,” he said.
It also requires community.
“This is how you get to heaven. . . . We don’t get there without the support of our brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Finally, Stefanick encouraged striving for holiness, even imperfectly: “Imagine what saint you might look like and pretend to be that person. . . . Try again the next day.”
“We don’t have the power to do that on our own,” he said. “But Jesus promised it when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.”
