What makes you happy? There are many recipes on how to be happy on earth, many advices on maintaining a happy life. This Sunday, we are g...
In summary, THE MAIN KEY TO BE HAPPY IS HUMILITY AND MEEKNESS. Our three readings tell us that in humility, a Christian will find happiness in this valley of tears and in the life after. But the word humility is still very generic for us to understand.
It is automatic for us humans to auto defend ourselves when we are belittled and caught off guard. Many of us, when we encounter problems in life, our very first reaction is to be angry and to frown. If you keep on being angry in life and keep on frowning, you will have so many wrinkles in the face and will make you very old at a very young age. And that will make you look ugly. Sometimes, there are some of you who are frowning and have that sour face when you hear mass and even during the communion. Why would you frown and have a sour face in receiving the Christ? As Christians, we should be radiating joy and happiness and not sour, lonely and bitter faces. If you wanted to boast that you are a true Christian, show it with your happy face and happy life.
Let us now try to look at the specific means on how to be humble and therefore be happy in life as Christians. Let us check the formula that was given to us by Christ. The first one is to be “POOR IN SPIRIT”. It is not about having nothing, but rather it is by keeping nothing for oneself. If you curse yourself and others, that is not poor in spirit. If you try to improve your own condition with violence and deceit, that is not poor in spirit. If you only think of yourself and never care for others, that is not being poor in spirit. If you spend yourself for others and puts yourself at the service of those who need you, you are poor in spirit. And from the moment one makes the choice to become and to remain poor in spirit, one enters the “kingdom of heaven,” and belongs to the family of saints even when you are still on earth.
MOURN. It is to have a broken heart not because somebody broke your heart. Blessed are those who mourn, means that those who are desperately sorry of their sins shall be blessed. To mourn is also to be sensitive and really feels the desperate plight and terrible sufferings of others. If you are truly sorry for your sins, if you ask forgiveness in God, you shall find relief, solace, consolation within, an assurance of forgiveness and acceptance by God. Isn’t that what you feel every after confession?
The third is to be GENTLE, to be tender. To have that sense of need for God and humble before men. We will be happy if we are not easily provoked, cool, even-tempered, forgiving, not revengeful. The fourth is to be HUNGRY AND THIRST FOR ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS, to be righteous and to do righteousness. The fifth formula is to be MERCIFUL, to have a forgiving spirit and a compassionate heart, to be benevolent, forgiving those who are wrong, having empathy. The sixth is to have a CLEAN HEART, TO BE HOLY. You will know the purity and the dirtiness of the heart of a person by the words that comes out from his mouth. If you want to be truly happy, we must wash our hearts of evil ways and thoughts. The seventh formula is to be PEACEMAKERS, to bring men together, to make peace between men and God, to reconcile differences and eliminate strife. Anyone who tries to avoid others because he doesn’t want to make peace, will always have a bitter life. Well the last one, doesn’t mean that you go on looking for someone to persecute you as Christians. We are invited to ENDURE SUFFERING FOR CHRIST whenever we be mocked, ridiculed, criticized, ostracized, treated with hostility, just because we are Christians, just because you are a Catholic, just because you believe in Christ, just because you believe in God.
You want to be truly happy? Take the advice of Jesus and the readings of today to be happy in life.
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