Living Love

For this lesson plan on joy, you will need a bag of candy and several bowls. Hide the candy around the room before the youth arrive.

Welcome. We are going to divide into groups of three and four. (If the group is small, you can just skip this and have them play as individuals.) I have hidden candy in this room. You will have 30 seconds to find as many pieces as you can. The team (or individual) who finds the most pieces wins.

Go!

After 30 seconds, gather everyone back together. Have each team put their candy in a separate bowl in front of each group and decide who won. Don’t let them eat the candy.

• Did that game make you happy? Why?
• What are some other things which make you happy?

Now take all of the candy away from the losing teams and put it in the winning team’s bowl.

• Is everyone still happy? Why or why not?

Finally take away all of the candy from the winning team.

• Now who is happy? Who is unhappy?
• How do disappointments and the unfairness of circumstances impact our happiness?

John 15:9-17 (No Greater Love) – the Gospel Reading for the 6th Sunday of Easter – Year B

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.

If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete.

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.

This I command you: love one another.”

John 15:9-17

Imagine the scene in this gospel. Jesus is sitting at the table with his closest friends during the Last Supper. He has just washed their feet, showing them what it means to serve with humility and love. But he knows what is about to happen. He knows soldiers will come to arrest him. He knows powerful people are plotting to kill him. He knows that the friends sitting with him will soon scatter in fear and leave him alone. This is a very heavy moment. And yet, in the middle of all of this, Jesus speaks about joy. That may sound strange, but it is very important for us to understand.

Jesus tells his disciples, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” Notice that he doesn’t say happiness. Happiness is about feelings. You feel happy when things go your way, when you succeed, or when life is comfortable. But happiness comes and goes. Jesus knew what was coming, and he was not happy about it. He was not smiling as he thought about the cross. He was not cheerful about the idea of betrayal and suffering. But he still had joy, and that is different.

Joy is something much deeper than happiness. Joy comes from God. It is the peace and strength that flow from knowing we are loved by the Father no matter what happens. Jesus had joy because he trusted his Father completely. Even though he knew pain was ahead, he also knew that God’s love would never leave him. He believed that the Father would bring good even from the worst suffering. That confidence gave him a joy that could not be stolen, not by soldiers, not by betrayal, and not even by death itself.

Think about your own life. There are times when you feel happy—like when you win a game, spend time with friends, or get a good grade. But there are also times when you feel the opposite—when you lose something important, fight with a friend, or face a disappointment. Happiness doesn’t last in those moments. But joy can still be present. Maybe you have experienced peace even while you were sad, because you knew God was with you. Maybe you had hope even in a dark time, because you trusted that God still had a plan. That is what joy looks like.

Joy is like an anchor that holds you steady even when the storm is strong. It doesn’t remove the storm. It doesn’t erase the pain. But it reminds you that you are not alone, that you are held in God’s love, and that He will carry you through. That is why Jesus wants us to remain in his love. He knows that when we do, his joy will live in us. It’s not a shallow feeling. It’s a way of living and thinking that is rooted in trust.

So let’s think together. Have there been times in your life when you were not happy, but you still felt a quiet joy? Maybe you were scared, but you knew you were loved. Maybe things were hard, but you still found strength in prayer. These moments help us understand the difference between happiness and joy.

The challenge is to foster this kind of joy in our daily lives. One way is through gratitude. When we pause to thank God, even when life is hard, our hearts open to joy. Another way is by remembering Jesus’ command to love one another. When we put others first, when we serve, when we forgive, joy grows in us. Joy is also strengthened by prayer. Asking the Holy Spirit for peace in difficult times can help us see that God is near.

Jesus wanted his disciples to understand this before he went to the cross. He wanted them, and us, to know that joy is not destroyed by suffering. It is rooted in God’s unchanging love. If we remain close to him, then no matter what happens, that joy will remain in us. And that joy will be complete.

When you move into small group time, remind everyone that this is a chance to share openly and listen to one another with respect. Let the youth know that there are no wrong answers. Encourage them to speak from their own experience, and remind the group that what is shared should stay in the group. Allow space for silence so that those who need more time can think before answering. Your role as a leader is to guide gently, not to give all the answers.

• What do you think Jesus means when he says he wants his joy to be in us?
• Can you think of a time when you felt joy even though you were not happy? What was that like?
• How do you see the difference between joy and happiness in your own life?
• Why do you think Jesus connects joy with loving one another?
• What are some ways we can remain in God’s love when life is difficult?
• How might gratitude help you find joy during times of disappointment?
• What is one small step you can take this week to live with more joy in Jesus?

One way to grow in joy is to practice gratitude, even when life doesn’t go the way you want. It’s easy to thank God when everything feels good, but joy becomes real when you can thank Him during the hard times too. So this week, whenever something disappoints you or doesn’t turn out the way you hoped, stop for a moment. Think of one good thing in your life, no matter how small, and thank God for it. It could be your family, your friends, or even just the gift of a new day. Then ask Jesus to stay close to you in that difficult moment.

Remember that joy is not something we create by ourselves. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and it grows in us when we invite God to work in our hearts. If you find it hard to be grateful, take a few quiet minutes to reflect on how much God loves you. Let that thought sink in. You are His beloved son or daughter, and nothing can take that away. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with peace and joy, even in times of struggle. Trust that God will give you the strength to face what comes, and joy will begin to take root in your life.

Find a resource for praying with gratitude every day here.

Let’s take a moment to quiet our hearts and pray together. Close your eyes if you’d like, and take a deep breath. Remember that God is here with us, and that He loves us more than we can imagine.

Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us what true joy looks like. Thank You for reminding us that Your joy is not the same as happiness that comes and goes. Help us to remain in Your love, even when life is difficult.

Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with peace and joy. Teach us to be grateful each day, especially when things do not turn out the way we hoped. Give us the courage to love one another the way Jesus loves us.

Father, we ask You to walk with us this week. Guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions, so that we can share Your joy with others. May our lives bring hope and light to those around us.

Amen.

Themes

• Joy from God: True joy comes from God’s love and not from temporary feelings. It lasts even when life is difficult. This helps youth see joy as a gift from the Holy Spirit.
• Difference between joy and happiness: Happiness depends on events around us, but joy is steady. Joy stays because it comes from trusting in God’s love. This helps young people understand faith more deeply.
• Remaining in God’s love: Jesus calls us to stay close to Him. By following His commandments, we remain in His love. This connection brings lasting joy.
• Love one another: Jesus commands us to love as He has loved us. Love is shown in actions, not only words. This love leads to joy in relationships.
• Laying down our lives: Jesus gave His life for us. He calls us to sacrifice for others in small and big ways. This shows love in action.
• Joy in suffering: Even in trials, joy can be found in God’s presence. Suffering does not remove God’s love. This trust brings peace in hard times.
• Gratitude and joy: Being thankful helps us focus on God’s blessings. Gratitude shifts our eyes away from disappointment. It creates room for joy to grow.
• Joy as fruit of Spirit: Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It grows in us when we pray and remain in God. This shows youth how joy is spiritual, not just emotional.
• Friendship with Jesus: Jesus calls us His friends, not servants. Friendship with Him gives us dignity and closeness with God. This friendship fills us with joy.
• Mission to bear fruit: Jesus sends us to love and serve others. When we do this, our lives have meaning. Living this mission brings lasting joy.
• Trust in the Father: Jesus trusted His Father completely. We are called to trust in the same way. This trust is the source of true joy.

Background Material

Joy is central to our Catholic faith. It is not simply a feeling of being glad or pleased. Joy comes from God and flows from our relationship with Him. It is deeper than happiness, which depends on what is happening in our lives. Joy remains even in times of sadness, loss, or difficulty. This is because joy is rooted in love, especially the love between God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When we remain in God’s love, we share in His joy.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells His disciples, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). He speaks these words on the night before His death. He knows suffering is coming, but He still offers His joy to His friends. This shows us that joy does not depend on avoiding pain. Instead, it is trusting that God’s love will never leave us. Jesus remained faithful to the Father and wanted His disciples to share that same confidence.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church also speaks about joy. It says, “The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: ‘charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity’” (CCC 1832). Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. This means it grows in us when we live close to God. We cannot create it on our own. It comes when we let the Spirit work in our lives.

Joy is also connected to love. Jesus links joy to His commandment: “Love one another as I love you” (John 15:12). Joy grows when we love as Jesus loved, with sacrifice and service. This is why acts of kindness, forgiveness, and generosity often bring a sense of joy. When we give ourselves for others, we experience the love of God more fully. This is part of the Catholic call to live in communion, not for ourselves alone but for the good of others.

The saints give us many examples of this kind of joy. Saint Paul, even while imprisoned, wrote to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). His joy came not from his situation but from knowing Christ. Saint Teresa of Calcutta often spoke of joy as a sign of God’s presence. She said that joy is “prayer, joy is strength, joy is love.” These examples remind us that joy is real even in suffering when it flows from faith.

For young people, learning the difference between joy and happiness can shape the way they see their lives. Joy gives them hope that is not shaken by disappointment. It helps them to trust in God and remain in His love. By practicing gratitude, seeking the Spirit, and loving others, they can live with joy that endures. This lesson helps them discover that joy is a gift meant to be received, lived, and shared.

Music Suggestions

• Joyful Noise
• Goodness of God
• Lay It Down
• You Are My Joy
• Trading My Sorrows