In Luke 6:20-26 of Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Times, Year C, Jesus presents a radical teaching that challenges the way we view happiness, success, and fulfillment. He declares the poor, hungry, weeping, and persecuted as blessed, while warning the rich, satisfied, laughing, and praised with woes. This message runs counter to everything the world teaches about happiness.
Blessed or Happy? Understanding True Joy
The word blessed in the Beatitudes is sometimes translated as happy. However, biblical happiness is different from the fleeting joy that comes from worldly success. The happiness Jesus speaks of is not based on circumstances but on being in right relationship with God. It is a deep, abiding joy that remains even in suffering, because it comes from trust in Him.
Worldly happiness depends on external achievements—wealth, recognition, and comfort. But Jesus teaches that true happiness is not about what we have, but who we belong to. The truly blessed person finds joy in knowing they are a child of God, regardless of their situation.
The Illusion of Worldly Happiness
In today’s world, people chase wealth, comfort, and popularity, believing these things will bring lasting joy. They tell themselves, “I will be happy when I achieve success, when I have more money, when I gain recognition.” But their happiness is always postponed to a future that never truly satisfies.
The pursuit of material success often leads people to replace God with worldly desires. Their wealth and achievements become their source of identity. When they lose these things, they feel like they have lost themselves. Some of us experienced this during Covit times when we lost things that made us proud. But our true identity is not in what we own, but in God, whose children we are.
The Danger of Wealth, Comfort, and Popularity
Jesus is not against wealth, nor does He desire people to live in poverty. Instead, He challenges both the rich and the poor to keep their eyes on God. The problem is not riches themselves but the attachment to them. The rich are warned because their wealth can lead them to self-reliance, forgetting their need for God. Their success can create a false sense of security, making them spiritually blind.
However, this is also a challenge for the poor. If they eventually become wealthy, they must not forget God in their prosperity. The temptation to trust in wealth rather than in God exists for everyone, regardless of economic status. That is why Jesus says “Woe” to the rich—not because they are wealthy, but because they often trust in riches instead of God.
The danger is that riches and the things of the world can become our god. By placing our trust in money, status, and success, we unknowingly break the First Commandment—“You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Instead of finding fulfillment in God, we seek it in temporary things. But nothing in this world can satisfy the human heart like God can.
Where is Your Happiness?
The question Jesus asks us today is this: What makes you happy? Are you chasing after the things of the world, hoping they will bring you joy? Or are you finding true happiness in God, who is unchanging and eternal?
Happiness is not something to be found in material things. It is an inside job. It does not depend on wealth, comfort, or people’s approval. It is found here and now, in God alone. Stop running after things. They will never satisfy. As St. Augustine says: My heart is restless until it rests in you. So let your heart rest in God, and you will discover the blessing of true happiness.
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