Jeremiah 17:5-8 / 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20 / Luke 6:17, 20-26
It is not too surprising to say that when we first came into this world, we were unhappy and even angry.
We may not remember this, but going by what we know about babies when they were born, they were crying.
So, babies came into this world crying, their eyes closed, their fists clenched, and of course stark naked.
When they were in the womb, they were comfortable and warm and they felt secure.
When the time came for them to be born, they came out naked into the cold air and bright lights and into a noisy world.
So, for the new-born baby, it would be quite a shock, and hence, it would be unhappy and angry and crying away, although for the doctors and nurses, it was a good sign.
That was how we came into the world, and ever since then we have been unhappy and angry, and we may not be crying out loud but we are complaining away.
And maybe that is why in life, we are looking for happiness and comfort.
We can’t go back to our mother's womb, but we look for happiness and comfort in the things of this world.
So, we try to look for happiness and comfort in money, in possessions, in achievements, in rewards, in luxuries and even in people.
But somehow, we don't seem to be able to find happiness and contentment. Even if we do, it is temporary and a fleeting moment. Happiness and contentment seem so elusive in life.
In the gospel, Jesus gave a teaching about happiness and where it can be found. But somehow, we find it difficult to understand that way of happiness.
How can we be happy and contented when we are poor and hungry? How can we be happy when we are weeping and being looked down upon by others?
Yes, it is difficult to see the meaning of the teaching of Jesus in the gospel.
Yet, we must understand that happiness is a blessing from God. It is a blessing that the world cannot give.
We need to listen to what the Lord God said in the 1streading:
“A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, with the Lord for his hope. He is like a tree by the water-side that trust its roots to the stream. When the heat comes it feels no alarm, its foliage stays green. It has no worries in a year of drought, and never ceases to bear fruit.”
In other words, the Lord is our blessing and as long as we keep our minds and hearts focused on the ways of the lord, we will receive His blessing.
But it is also so easy for us to lose the blessings of the Lord and the Lord God has strong words as He says in the 1st reading:
“A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on the things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord. He is like dry scrub in the wastelands. If good comes, he has no eyes for it, he settles in the parched places of the wilderness, a salt land, uninhabited.”
So essentially, life is a choice between blessings and curses.
When we came into this world we were unhappy and angry and crying aloud.
We could have remained in this state but the Lord God called us to faith, and blessed us with His love, so that we can be truly happy and be contented.
To be unhappy, to be angry, to be complaining about life, is a curse that we bring upon ourselves.
But Jesus has broken that curse by teaching us the truth about happiness so that we can inherit God's blessings.
Yes, God wants us to be happy, that is the truth. It is a blessing that He wants to grant us.
May we rejoice and be happy with God's love, and may we be a blessing for others as well.