All Saints Day • Why have so many people left the Catholic Church? I think they have left because being Catholic made them less happy. It gets in the way of getting their way and having all the things and pleasures they want. 

Getting what we want only makes us happy when we have learned to want that which is actually good for us. The happiness based on having things or fun experiences is the most fleeting source of happiness. It will naturally tend towards addiction.

Are there forms of happiness that don't disappoint? The happiness of a job well done is worth a lot of discomfort on the road to success. The Greeks and Romans taught us that the ultimate form of happiness is a life well-lived, that is, a virtuous life. The culture of self-indulgence erodes community. The culture of virtue and self-control demands, and builds, healthy community. 

Above this level of happiness, there is a level that only Christians have access to. Believing Christians will come to know the warmth and light of Jesus' personal presence with them. This is the happiness of a life lived with Jesus. Christian community also reaches a new level -- being brothers and sisters in God's family. 

The Beatitudes show us that, with the right attitude of heart, the challenging circumstances around us become an opportunity to grow closer to Jesus. Even discomfort can be turned into a source of deeper happiness.

(1 Nov 2024)

Going Deeper: Are you more focused on the pursuit of happiness rooted in self-indulgence, or the pursuit of happiness rooted in self-control? How does Christian community contribute to your happiness? Have you experienced the happiness of a life lived with Jesus?

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