I spent 12 years in catholic school, and I've been a practicing Catholic my whole life. It has occurred to me that every picture, statue and representation of Jesus is one of him where he is adorned with a crown of thorns with blood dripping down his face or hanging from a cross with spikes driven through his flesh and his body emaciated. 

I'm pretty sure this is not the way that Jesus would want to be remembered and would certainly not want people to have a feeling of sorrow and unhappiness every time they thought of him. 

I think our concept of Jesus needs a makeover. 

Agape is the highest form of selfless, unconditional and sacrificial love. This is the love that filled the heart of Jesus. As we are all the children of Jesus when he looks at us his heart is filled with the joy of a mother admiring her newborn baby. In our eyes, Jesus sees himself as he created us in his image. 

For their devotion and love of Jesus, the apostles were given a gift. Shortly after Jesus' crucifixion it is said that the apostle's eyes were opened and then they were filled with the Holy Spirit. What is it that the apostles can see after their eyes were opened? The apostles were able to see what Jesus could see. The apostles could see Jesus in everyone they met. This became a great source of joy and happiness for the apostles. 

On the road to Emmaus shortly after Jesus's death two apostles walked with a stranger for hours and as they listened to the stranger-their hearts were burning. At the end of their journey, they recognize the stranger as Jesus when he breaks bread with them. Was it really Jesus on the road to Emmaus or was it just a man that the apostles began to recognize Jesus in as they came to know him. 

It's my goal to get as many people as possible to recognize Christ Jesus in everyone they meet. But the first thing we must do is come to know and recognize Jesus. And I think we need to relearn what we know about Jesus and discover how happy he was and how we can find that happiness. 

My goal is to get people to know and understand Happy Jesus. The Jesus whose heart is filled with the most perfect love, joy and hope. 

The Jesus that loves all the things that we love like puppies, baseball, blue skies, butterflies and every kind of food. The Jesus that loves to sing, dance, swim, run and play.  Last but not least, the Jesus that loves his children-every last imperfect one of us.

With Love,

Vinnie