In my faith, we're taught to be joyful, to celebrate God's gifts. But sometimes I feel this strange guilt when something good happens to me. Like I don't deserve it, or like being happy means I'm selfish, or like maybe I should suffer more to prove I'm a good person. 🙏

I know this isn't what the Church teaches. I know that God wants us to experience joy and blessing. But there's this voice inside me—maybe it comes from somewhere in my past, or from my culture, or just from being human—that tells me happiness is suspicious. That if I'm doing well, it means someone else must be suffering. That if I'm smiling, I should probably be sorry about something. 💔

I've been thinking about the saints, about how they suffered and sacrificed. And yes, that's beautiful and worthy of respect. But Jesus also turned water into wine. He celebrated with people. He didn't ask them to deny joy. So why do I do this to myself? Why do I make myself feel guilty for something that's supposed to be a blessing? 😞

Is it wrong to be happy when there's so much pain in the world? Can I truly feel joy without shame?