Let me ask you, what are the challenges you face as a teenager? What activities do you do to fight these challenges?

Have you ever experienced a moment of extreme joy, but found that it quickly faded? What if joy could be something more lasting?

Today, I will share about joy and how to find joy in this world that is full of challenges. Later, I will propose 3 strategies on finding happiness, as well as how to start right away.

I remember, when I was a teenager, I was always with my friends, we played basketball in the afternoon, jam as a band, hang out and talk about everything we can talk about. Why? Because no one in this world wants to feel sad, and that is why we always try to be happy and do things that make us happy. Today, in your case, that would mean going to malls, play video games, have milk tea, collect toys, eat out and post happy photos on social media.

We do things that bring fun or pass time because the world is so challenging. What are these challenges? You scroll and see news, distressing news like inflation, murder, and corruption. In social media, there is so much pressure to do what everyone is doing. You are pressured to have the latest gadgets, travel with friends, post beautiful photos, buy things we do not needs just to be relevant. Challenges are never ending, not to mention challenges at school, and home.

But even after fulfilling and doing everything we want, like traveling, eating and posting on social media, working and buying the latest tech gadget, you feel drained, tired and still feel empty. We then realize that all these things do not bring lasting peace, joy and happiness. They are rather burden we put over our shoulders.

Pause for a few moments and reflect if this is how you feel: the happiness you feel is still not enough.

Joy is the ecstatic feeling of happiness. We may experience that feeling when we receive the things we longed for, however, that kind of joy is temporary. The kind of joy that we want to have, or experience is something that brings peace in our lives. The feeling that we know we are taken cared of no matter what comes our way.

For Søren Kierkegaard, Danish philosopher and often called the “father of existentialism,” who explored themes of individuality, faith, and the experience of truth, “happiness is the highest good, but it cannot be pursued directly; it arises as a by-product of living a moral life.”

Joy is not the goal but rather it is a result of the good things we do in life. To achieve joy, we need to live a life of virtue, but how can we do good things, or live a virtuous life, that is the question? We cannot do good things if we do not have the source of all that is good and that happens to be God. So, therefore, we find joy when we have God in our lives who is the source of good in our lives and the foundation of all our good actions that lead to lasting joy. Let me just make a clarification, when I say lasting joy, it does not mean there will be no problems. There will be problems but because God resides in us, problems are not problems but rather they become fleeting moments because it is God that is fighting for us.

This is the effect when we have God in our lives: we find joy because The LORD has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. This is a promise found in the Bible.

In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, the joy and renewal described in Zephaniah 3:14–18a are beautifully reflected in Aslan’s return and triumph over the White Witch.

The land of Narnia is under the oppressive rule of the White Witch, who has cast an eternal winter over the land. The creatures of Narnia live in fear, longing for deliverance but discouraged by the Witch’s seeming invincibility. However, hope begins to stir when the Pevensie children enter Narnia, fulfilling an ancient prophecy of four humans who would bring restoration.

Aslan, the great Lion and true King of Narnia, returns to the land, a figure of divine power and love. His presence alone begins to break the Witch’s spell—spring returns, flowers bloom, and the ice melts. The people of Narnia rejoice, singing joyfully and celebrating the promise of renewal, much like the exultation of Jerusalem described by Zephaniah.

Even when Aslan sacrifices himself on the Stone Table to save Edmund, the picture of despair is temporary. The deeper magic beyond time prevails, and Aslan rises again, filled with life and power. This resurrection mirrors the image of God as a “mighty savior” who removes judgment and rejoices over His people with gladness.

In the final battle, Aslan leads the charge against the Witch and her forces, turning away Narnia’s enemies once and for all. With the Witch defeated, Aslan crowns Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy as kings and queens, restoring Narnia to its former glory. The land is filled with joy and renewal, as its people sing and celebrate their freedom from fear and oppression.

The story reflects Zephaniah’s proclamation of God’s presence as a source of courage and joy. Aslan’s victory brings salvation to Narnia, showing that with their King among them, the Narnians truly have “no further misfortune to fear.” Like the jubilant daughter Zion, Narnia rejoices in the love and redemption of their King.

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. In other words, pray and tell God what you want, your concerns and like magic, there will be peace.  And so, we find joy when we pray and ask God.

That peace He sends us is something comes in the form of hope, and it comes when we least expect it: in moments when we are at our weakest, because such is the nature of hope. And there at that moment, we feel joy.

Jean Valjean’s journey in Les Misérables, by Victor Hugo is a sweeping tale of redemption, love, and justice, set against the backdrop of post-revolutionary France, a profound testament to the transformative power of prayer, hope, and divine grace. After years of suffering and bitterness as a convict, Valjean’s encounter with the compassionate Bishop Myriel marks the turning point in his life. When the bishop forgives him and gives him the stolen silver, Valjean is overwhelmed by this act of mercy. Conflicted and broken, he turns to God in prayer, pouring out his anguish, guilt, and longing for a better life. In that moment of raw vulnerability, he experiences an unexpected peace—a glimmer of hope that begins to transform his heart.

Throughout his life, Valjean continues to rely on prayer during his trials. When faced with the weight of protecting Cosette, the relentless pursuit of Javert, and the suffering of those around him, he brings his fears and petitions to God. He discovers that, even in his darkest moments, peace comes in surprising ways: in the laughter of a child, the strength to forgive an enemy, or the courage to sacrifice himself for another.

This peace, born from prayer, transcends understanding. It is not the absence of suffering but the presence of hope—a light that shines brightest in his weakest and most desperate moments. In these instances, Valjean finds a quiet joy, a reassurance that God’s grace is sufficient. His life becomes a living reflection of Philippians 4:6-7: he brings his anxieties to God, and in return, he is guarded by a peace that fuels his hope and sustains his love for others.

Jean Valjean’s story reminds us that when we pray with open hearts, God answers not always with immediate solutions but with the gift of hope—a hope that carries us through and brings joy even in the midst of suffering.

Finally, we find joy in living a virtuous life. Plato, in The Republic, identified the four cardinal virtues—courage, justice, prudence, and temperance—as foundational to a virtuous life. In today’s context, a virtuous person is one who practices courage to go against the harmful philosophy of relativism, where everything is permissible; embraces the principle of justice, where each person is given their due not merely for the sake of social justice; cultivates prudence by making the right decisions based on the common good rather than personal advantage; and exercises temperance, practicing moderation and avoiding extremes.

Aristotle, one of the greatest thinkers, in his work Nicomachean Ethics, speaks of living a virtuous life as central to achieving eudaimonia, often translated as “flourishing” or “the good life.” According to Aristotle, virtue is not merely about following rules but about cultivating good habits and developing a character that consistently makes the right choices.

There are two important things in living a virtuous life: knowing what we need to do and doing it. Going back to Aristotle, virtues are habits that we develop through practice. He argued that we do not become virtuous simply by knowing what virtue is; rather, we must act virtuously until it becomes part of our character. Virtue, for Aristotle, is a matter of rational choice, guided by practical wisdom (phronesis). The virtuous person does the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, and for the right reason.

The Bible also provides ways to live a virtuous life beyond the principles Aristotle mentions, such as the Ten Commandments, the call to love your neighbor, and John the Baptist’s exhortation in Luke 3:7-18 to be generous, share, and act justly. You know you are successful in the habit of living a virtuous life when you bear good fruits—when your actions consistently reflect love, justice, and wisdom.

Here is a story that illustrates John the Baptist’s instructions, the Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde. Once, in a grand city, there stood a statue of the Happy Prince, made of gold and adorned with jewels. The people of the city admired the statue and called it the “Happy Prince” because of its radiant beauty and the joyful smile on its face. The statue was set high on a pedestal, overlooking the entire city, and the people believed the Prince had always been as happy as he appeared.

However, when a little swallow came to rest at the statue’s feet, it noticed something strange. The Prince, though made of precious materials, was weeping. The swallow, who had planned to fly to Egypt for the winter, asked the Prince why he was so sad.

The Prince explained that when he was alive, he had lived in a palace and had never known sorrow. He had never seen the suffering of the poor, the cold, the hungry, or the oppressed. Now, as a statue, he could see everything—the hunger of the people, the cold in the streets, and the suffering of the children. His heart, made of lead, broke with the realization of how much pain there was in the world, and he longed to help.

The Happy Prince asked the swallow to take his jewels and gold to those in need. The swallow, although it was hesitant at first, agreed to help. The swallow took the sapphires from the Prince’s eyes and the gold leaf from his body to give to the poor. One by one, the swallow delivered the riches to the poor: a mother with sick children, a playwright struggling in poverty, and a seamstress who couldn’t keep warm.

As the winter grew colder, the swallow stayed longer than it had planned. It continued to deliver the Prince’s riches, despite the freezing temperatures. Finally, the swallow, exhausted and with the last of its strength, nestled on the Prince’s feet and died.

When spring came, the Mayor ordered the statue of the Happy Prince to be melted down, as the jewels and gold had disappeared. The only thing left of the statue was the lead heart, which was broken into two.

In heaven, the angels took the heart and the swallow to God, saying, “Here are the most precious things in the city—both are filled with love and sacrifice.” And God, smiling, took them into His care, knowing that the true joy, the peace that the Happy Prince had longed for, was not in the riches he had once possessed, but in the selfless acts of kindness he gave to others.

How to start right away.

I teach students in different levels, the highest would be those taking master’s degree and the youngest would be around grade 12. In all that I teach and share, I always make sure to make them practice. As the famous quote says, excellence is a habit. If we want to be good at something, we need to practice is.  In business the best way to start is to write down your plans. In English or literature classes, that would be writing it down. Remember, a habit is a muscle, the more your exercise good habits, the more it grows, the more it becomes effective. The first thing you need to do when you get home or if we do have time still, is to write it down.

When you do write it down, be sure to be specific. Do not just say “I want do be grateful.” Write what you are grateful for, act grateful be being generous or returning the favor. If you are truly grateful for your parents, take care of them, treat them well, cook for them or buy them food. It does not need to be extravagant, any little thing done with great love will suffice.

Keep a journal. A journal is a notebook where you put your thoughts or your progress. I have a journal where I write on. I ask my students to have one and write daily. I do write on it, daily, as much as possible. I do miss some days, but get back on it, like how we all do with our medications. The notebook and pen can be anything you have at home or anything that is available in bookstores, but of course, something fancy can be encouraging.

Start with your resolutions or your plans on practicing finding joy by making Jesus live in your life. Track your daily actions, roll your sleeves, make sure you do it. If you slide back, get up again. It is not about reaching perfection that we are after, rather it is holiness. Here is a clue, no one can be perfect, but anyone can be holy. Lucky for you, you have a catechism class that will help you start on your way.

Work with people on this journey towards finding joy. Bring in someone you can work with together in finding and practicing joy. It is easier and more fun that way. This is just like work and school, if there is a big project, you need to do it as a group.

Here is a warning though. The person you will work with should understand what true joy means and not the worldly kind of joy. You need to be on the same page or else it will be blind leading the blind.

A story in classic literature that best tells the blind leading the blind is from One example of the “blind leading the blind” in classic literature can be found in by Dante Alighieri’s, “The Divine Comedy” a 14th-century epic poem written by Dante Alighieri. It narrates the journey of the poet, Dante, through Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil. The poem begins with Dante lost in a dark forest, symbolizing his spiritual confusion. As he descends through the nine circles of Hell, he encounters sinners being punished for various vices, such as lust, greed, and wrath, each receiving a punishment that reflects the nature of their sins. The work explores themes of justice, morality, and divine retribution, while also serving as an allegory for the soul’s journey toward redemption, specifically in the Inferno (the first part of the poem). In Inferno, Dante journeys through Hell and encounters various souls suffering for their sins. One notable moment illustrating the idea of the “blind leading the blind” occurs when Dante encounters the Simoniacs (those who sell church offices or indulgences). These souls are blind to spiritual truth and corruption, leading others astray for personal gain.

You see, the world’s challenges are not merely obstacles to happiness; they are part of a deeper truth that joy is not something we chase after like a fleeting sensation. True joy, lasting joy, is not a product of fleeting moments or material things, nor is it something that can be found through our own efforts alone. Just as in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, where the return of Aslan restores hope and peace to Narnia, so too does joy return to us when we allow the true King of our lives, Jesus Christ, to lead us.

And in that, there is something profound. The joy we seek is not of this world, nor can it be acquired through worldly means. It is a gift from God, found through prayer, through generosity, and through a life lived in pursuit of virtue and love. Furthermore, with the help of our other actions such as writing our plans, building habits, and bringing others with the same purpose with us in finding joy. It’s a joy that transcends our circumstances, one that stays with us even in the most trying times, not because we have what we want, but because we know, like the Happy Prince, that we are loved and cared for beyond measure.

So, I ask you to consider this: What will it take for you to begin your own journey to joy? It may not be easy, and it may not be immediate, but it will come as you grow in love and selflessness, as you work to live a life of goodness. And that, my friends, is the kind of joy that will never fade.