LUKE 10:17–24 WHERE DOES YOUR JOY COME FROM?

Saturday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time – Year A

The disciples return from their mission full of excitement. They have seen great things happen, and they tell Jesus, “Even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus shares their joy, but then He gently redirects them: “Do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Jesus is teaching them something important: our deepest joy should not come from what we accomplish, but from knowing that we belong to God.

We can easily measure our happiness by our successes. We feel good when our work goes well, when people appreciate us, when our children do well, or when we accomplish something we have worked hard for. And there is nothing wrong with being grateful for those things. But accomplishments can change very quickly. What happens when the project fails, when someone does not appreciate us, or when we can no longer do what we once could? Jesus reminds us that our deepest identity does not depend on what we achieve. We are God's beloved children.

So today, perhaps we can ask ourselves: Where does my joy really come from? Am I happiest when I am successful and recognized, or simply because I know that I belong to God? Jesus invites us to receive the simple joy of being loved by Him. Our achievements will come and go, but God's love remains. Our greatest accomplishment is not what we do for God, but that we belong to God.

With Love and Prayers

Your Co-Traveler