DAILY HOMILIES #happiness

When we receive miracles, we are happy but when we repent from sin, God is happy. If after receiving miracles, we fail to repent from our sinfulness, God is not happy with us. God would never stop loving us but if we seek happiness from God, let us also behave in a way that would make God happy with us.

Unlike this man who went home sorrowful, the seventy who had gone out to evangelize carrying no purse, no bag, no sandal came back bursting with joy and excitement. When they were going out, it was like an adventure to them, they must have asked themselves, “How am I going to survive? No purse, no bag, no sandals, no nothing! They must have concluded that Jesus was sending them out to commit suicide. But they obeyed. They followed the warnings. And they came back shocked that even the demons obeyed them. Their great power was in their ability to detach themselves.

When you seek first God’s Kingdom and prioritize righteousness, you may not become rich and famous in the eyes of the world but Jesus says you will find true inner satisfaction and peace. When you mourn over the sinfulness and evil pervading our world and refuse to be indifferent, Jesus says you will find true comfort.

Happiness on earth may be limited but the happiness above is totally unlimited. If we do not experience happiness as we so desire, let us not give up on God or attempt to seek happiness in sin. The devil cannot give what he does not have; it may seem as if we are enjoying for a while but soon it dawns on us that we have been deceived. Child of God, sorrow may last in the night but joy comes in the morning. Never Give up on God!

Jesus tells us today: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:10-12)

The honest truth is that riches bring a lot of happiness and security but there is a certain extent to which the continuous increase in riches no longer affects one’s state of happiness.

Have you been searching for true lasting happiness? Why not try God, why not try to be obedient to His commands and see what God has to offer?

Contentment is a decision; a decision to focus only on those things you are grateful for. It is ignoring your problems and praising God as though you had no problems. It is choosing to accept your life as it is knowing that God only permits what is best for you to happen to you.

Think about what Jesus is demanding from you and those times you actually followed this path only to find happiness rather unexpectedly. In summary, suffering makes us strong. This is what St. Paul teaches in the first reading today. His prayer for us is that should we ever suffer, may we also enjoy consolation at the end.

Jesus couldn’t have been lying when He said: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:10-11) Circumcise your heart. Clean it up. Take away from you whatever is indecent, immoral and in conflicting terms with God’s commandment and you will find true joy.

Sometimes, we behave as if we know what is best for us. We assume we know better than God who allows seemingly negative circumstances happen to us instead of us to just trust that God knows exactly what He is doing. Until you come to a realization that everything happens for a reason, you will find it hard to be grateful. Truth be told, within every unhappy person is ingratitude. If you cannot be thankful, then you cannot be happy.