“I’ve figured it out!” the man exclaimed. “I’ve figured it out!” “What?” asked his audience. “Why everything… STINKS.” That was the former late-night show host Craig Ferguson’s famous monologue from years ago, though he used a stronger word than “Stinks.” His rant about modern culture went viral before we even used the term “viral,” spreading from late-night TV to newspaper opinion pages. Ferguson argued that since the 1950s, we’ve created a culture obsessed with youth, leading to what he called the “deification of youth” – something unprecedented in human history.
A heartfelt thank you for taking the time to read this homily for the SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (February 16, 2025). Your support means the world to me, and I’m deeply moved by how this community shares these messages of faith. If you’ve found meaning in these words, I’d be grateful if you’d share them with others who might benefit.
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What was kind of fascinating was that his audience – mostly young people – laughed and cheered. Seemingly affirming his talking points and agreeing that we live in an age of perpetual dissatisfaction.
Look around. Social media feeds overflow with complaints. Egg prices are too high. The Wi-Fi is too slow. The gym is too crowded. The parking situation is impossible. The weather app is never accurate. Netflix keeps canceling the best shows. The new software update drained my battery. Flight prices are insane. The coffee shop got my order wrong again. The apartment’s rent keeps rising. And don’t get me started on technology. We’ve gone from complaining about iPhones to grumbling about AI chatbots and VR headsets. The more things change, the more our complaints stay the same.
Not too long ago I bought an iPhone (I think 14) – not because my old one was broken, but because I was promised revolutionary features that would transform my life. Spoiler alert: my life remains untransformed. The camera’s better, sure, but I’m still the same person taking the same photos.
This constant pursuit of the next big thing, the endless chase for satisfaction – it’s exhausting, isn’t it? We download another app that promises to improve our lives that we rarely use (and forget to cancel the subscriptions for). We jump from one streaming service to another, always hunting for the next must-watch show. We scroll through social media looking for the next dopamine hit, switch diets every month pursuing the perfect body, and bounce between workout trends from Peloton to pilates to whatever new fitness craze TikTok is pushing this week. If tomorrow the unemployment rate dropped to 4%, would we suddenly feel content? History suggests otherwise. We’re always chasing, always upgrading, always searching for that elusive “something better” that promises to finally make us happy.
It’s in this atmosphere of chronic dissatisfaction that Jesus delivers what might be His most counterintuitive message. Standing before a crowd much like us, He speaks words that seem to defy everything we believe about happiness: “Blessed are you who are poor… blessed are you who hunger now… blessed are you who weep now.”
Wait, what?
Let’s be clear about what Jesus isn’t saying. He’s not sugar-coating poverty – “Oh, you’re poor? That’s wonderful!” That would contradict His constant calls to care for those in need. Nor is He promoting some kind of divine revenge plot where the poor will eventually get even with the rich. That’s not how God works.
Instead, Jesus is underlining and amplifying a profound truth about human nature and divine grace. Those who seemingly have nothing often discover something extraordinary: when you can’t rely on wealth, status, or the latest iPhone, you learn to rely on God. When you’re not distracted by constant upgrades and updates, you notice the small blessings – the sunset, the kindness of strangers, the miracle of another day.
That’s why Jesus follows with His “woes” to the rich, the well-fed, those who laugh now. It’s not because wealth is inherently evil – it’s because comfort can be spiritually dangerous. When we’re comfortable, we often become complacent. When we’re well-fed, we forget to hunger for righteousness. When everything’s going great, we might forget to look up.
Think about it: our modern world offers more comfort and convenience than any civilization in history. Yet anxiety, depression, and loneliness are at record highs. We have more ways to connect than ever, yet feel more disconnected. We have more stuff, yet feel less satisfied.
The message of the Beatitudes isn’t that suffering is good – it’s that God is present in all circumstances, especially when we’re stripped of our usual comforts and distractions. The poor are blessed not because poverty is good, but because their circumstances often lead them to recognize their dependence on God. The hungry are blessed not because hunger is good, but because their physical hunger can awaken a deeper spiritual hunger.
Pope Benedict XVI is often quoted as saying “The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort, but for greatness.” While I first encountered it, it definitely caught my attention and stayed with me – which caused me to want to read the entire context and homily that it came from, which was incredibly interesting little scavenger hunt for me… perfect for the person with A.D.D. Because it doesn’t appear to be an actual quote from Pope Benedict XVI. What one writer speculates is that it is actually a misquote of what he said or a terrible translation of what he meant. The quote actually goes “Man was created for greatness—for God himself; he was created to be filled by God. But his heart is too small for the greatness to which it is destined. It must be stretched…” That might not be able to fit on a T-shirt or meme, but it’s more precise and makes more sense – “Man was created for greatness—for God himself; he was created to be filled by God. But his heart is too small for the greatness to which it is destined. It must be stretched…”
Perhaps this explains our constant dissatisfaction – we keep trying to fill an infinite space with finite things. Our hearts were designed for something far greater than the latest technology or the newest trend. They were designed for God himself, and until we understand this, we’ll keep trying to squeeze eternity into a smartphone screen.
So here’s what I’ve truly figured out: While Craig Ferguson theorizes why everything STINKS, Jesus offers us the cure. Our problem isn’t that our phones are too slow or our coffee isn’t hot enough – it’s that we’re trying to satisfy an infinite hunger with finite things. God doesn’t promise us a life free from broken phones, economic worries, or disappointments. Instead, He offers us something far more revolutionary than any software update: His very presence, which doesn’t transform our circumstances, but our very way of seeing them. When we finally grasp this truth, something extraordinary happens. The same world that seemed to STINK becomes filled with blessing – not because everything suddenly goes right, but because we finally understand what Saint Augustine meant when he said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” (The You being the Lord God) In a world obsessed with the next upgrade, perhaps it’s time we upgraded our vision: from seeing life through the lens of what’s missing, to seeing it through the eyes of a God who looks at us – in all our imperfection and discontent – and calls us blessed.
