WORDS FROM FATHER YOHANES: A Joyful Heart In a Troubled World

By Father Yohanes Akoit

The Gospel reading for the Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary

Time presents another parable about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who

invited people to the wedding feast of his son (Matthew 22:1-

14). Through this image, Jesus invites us to see Heaven as a

joyful reality, a place where people gather to share in the

happiness of the host. There will be no suffering, sorrow, or

pain. Heaven is the state known as the Visio Beatifica, where

we will see God face to face. The joyful image of Heaven

presented in this parable should shape the way we live our

lives on earth. If Heaven is characterized by joy, then our

earthly lives should be directed toward that same reality. In

other words, life is a continual effort to embrace joy and hope

each day. Yet, the call to be joyful is not an invitation to

hedonism. Rather, it is a disposition of faith rooted in the

conviction that nothing is greater than Christ. Everything that

happens in our lives remains under His providence and care.

Therefore, even in the midst of problems, hardships, and

suffering, we trust that the power of Christ is greater than all of

them. That is why we are called to be joyful.

Jesus develops this same theme in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3

-12). There, He encourages His disciples to place their faith

completely in Him. Indirectly, Jesus tells them that even

though they will experience poverty, mourning, hunger, thirst,

and many other struggles, they should still rejoice. Why?

Because Jesus knows that nothing can ultimately destroy those

who belong to Him. There is no reason to surrender to fear.

He will help us face our trials and overcome them. By

presenting the Kingdom of Heaven as a wedding feast, Jesus

teaches His disciples to cultivate a spirit of joy. Such a

disposition prevents them from becoming slaves to misery,

discouragement, and human weakness. Therefore, without a

joyful disposition, hardships can easily shape the way we view

reality. Consider someone who receives a diagnosis of a

serious illness. That experience can quickly become the lens

through which he or she interprets everything. Thoughts may

begin to arise: "My life is ruined. I am worthless. My future is

over. I am a burden to others. I cannot face this." In moments

like these, suffering and vulnerability become the dominant

perspective through which reality is understood.

To protect His disciples from such despair, Jesus teaches them

to keep God's providence alive in their hearts and minds. He

does not promise that life will always be as blue as the sky, but

He does promise to walk beside us. He does not promise that

every road will be smooth, but He does promise to give us

strength. He does not promise a life free from suffering, but

He does promise never to abandon us. The presence of God,

therefore, becomes stronger than the difficulties we encounter.

For that reason, this parable remains a powerful invitation for

all of us. We are called to cultivate a joyful heart and a hopeful

spirit as an expression of our faith in God. We believe that

with God nothing is impossible. Such faith becomes both our

strength and our vision whenever we encounter suffering and

misery. Otherwise, our weakness and vulnerability can

become the lens through which we view reality and assign

meaning to our lives. As disciples of Christ, we pray that God

may keep our hearts and minds firmly fixed on His providence.

May we continually echo this truth within our hearts: in God's

providence, we are saved.

Father Yohanes Akoit is pastor of St. Julian and St. Anthony Catholic

churches in Kentucky.