Homily Notes: 10-03-21

A successful life is one that achieves its purpose.

Happiness is not pleasure.

Pleasure is on the level of the senses — something that feels good when the senses are appeased. Pleasure is when our appetites are satisfied. It’s in the emotion. It’s not permanent, it does not last. 

Happiness is in the will — it is a good that we achieve. It’s something that is lasting and cannot be taken away. This is why we can be happy amidst our suffering because when we do God’s will, we are achieving our end (our purpose).

“Happiness” that the word pushes upon us is really just pleasure — seeking instant gratification and calling that happiness. But that’s not real happiness. Happiness comes from virtue, not through pleasure-seeking.

A majority of millionaires in the world are not truly happy. They seek more and more because they are never satisfied

You can be happy without having your senses appeased. Many of the saints had nothing and yet were still happy. Often times the poor are more disposed towards happiness because they understand that life isn’t about material possessions. 

St. Simon spent 30 years on a pillar praying as a hermit. We’re not called to pray on a pillar but we are still called to prefer God above all things … do our duty firstly to God. “I am the salvation of the people: attend you people to my law and to my words” the purpose of our life is to listen to the words of God.

In the world around us the ideas of success means acquiring money and property which leads to power and influence. We do need money to support our family and give us a certain stability on earth but it is only a means, and if we don’t have a moral life — a priority of our goods, that some goods are better than others — then our money will never bring us happiness.

“I need to support my family and make them comfortable, so I’m going to have sufficient money to support my family” and then he realizes he can work more and take on more jobs, works harder and longer hours to bring home more money, allowing the family to have their home, food, clothes, and comforts. And yet the father of the family never pauses to think, what is the best for my family? What will help my family achieve their goal of heaven? Is it material comforts? He should spend his time with his family, not all of his time working for money — he has an essential duty to form and educate his children, to save their souls, not just their bodies. Financial support is only part of the duty, a father cannot make it the only duty. We can’t focus so much on earthly goals that we neglect the rest of our life. 

Only a virtuous life can truly make us happy, which is a life where we are committed to the performance of our duties. We need to support ourselves on a material level but only so we can be free to do our duty to God, and if our financial achievements hamper us from that duty then they aren’t helping us. 

Sometimes to accomplish our goals we have to set aside other delights and achievements to reach our highest good.