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irishpatrick
Guest
I think you are trying to dig way too deep on this subject. The concept is simple: everyone, who can, should act happy even if they are not. They are, imo, morally obligated to do so. Simple.
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irishpatrick
Guest
We can share the realities of our lives without placing a sad demeanor to those around us. A husband can tell his wife he feels troubled or worried about certain things, yet then turn around and act happy towards her and his family. It is a duty imo.
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irishpatrick
Guest
Jesus taught us that even when we fast, we are not to reveal to other people our discomfort:
If we are to present a happy countenance when we are suffering through fasting, than would it not make sense that under normal times we should be acting happy?
Matthew 6:16-18 “Moreover when ye fast, be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret …”
If we are to present a happy countenance when we are suffering through fasting, than would it not make sense that under normal times we should be acting happy?
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Cristiano
Guest
How do you act happy? Is that pretending that you are not sad, hurt, grieving, etc? That would be a lie and lies are sinful.
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Cristiano
Guest
The passage was about the fact that is not appropriate to make an effort to attract attention to yourself because of your pious efforts. It is about not being a show off and it has nothing to do with happiness.
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irishpatrick
Guest
It is not a lie to act happy. It is an act of love and mercy towards other people.
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irishpatrick
Guest
I agree, it has to do with not trying to declare one’s self as being holy to others (showing off). We agree on that.
However, the event/account illuminates what I am saying. If Jesus tells us to hide our suffering when we fast, then we should be able to do the same the rest of our lives (of course there are times and conditions under which acting happy is impossible).
Acting happy has three good consequences: (1) It helps those around us feel a bit better just because they are around a happy person; (2) It helps us when we act happy when we are sad because willfully acting happy often results in us actually feeling better; (3) It is an act of kindness, love and mercy towards others to act happy around them even when we are sad–and that can then become a means of personal sanctification.
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irishpatrick
Guest
BTW, the opposite of sad is happy. Jesus tells us not place a sad countenance on our faces when we fast…that means we are supposed to place a happy countenance on our face when we fast. We should anyway because fasting and mortifying ourselves should be an act of joy, not sadness.
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TheRealJuliane
Guest
I draw a distinction between happiness, which to me is a very unpredictable emotion that comes and goes many times on its own schedule. I can have moments of random happiness even on my worst days, but there are days that I would not tell you I am happy but I do feel content.
What I am aiming for is JOY in the Lord. Joy is a spiritual state that comes upon me when I am in close contact with Jesus, Mary and the saints. Joy is in receiving the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Joy is in belonging to the true Church that Jesus established. Joy is more than happiness, more than contentment, more than satisfaction.
That is what I am aiming for. I haven’t achieved it yet. I don’t think anyone who knows me would say, “She has a joyful spirit.” I can’t get joy by trying to get it. I can only obtain it by drawing closer to Jesus Christ and His Church. Please pray for me and everyone else who is desirous of a close relationship to Jesus, which will give us the joy as a fruit of the spirit.
What I am aiming for is JOY in the Lord. Joy is a spiritual state that comes upon me when I am in close contact with Jesus, Mary and the saints. Joy is in receiving the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Joy is in belonging to the true Church that Jesus established. Joy is more than happiness, more than contentment, more than satisfaction.
That is what I am aiming for. I haven’t achieved it yet. I don’t think anyone who knows me would say, “She has a joyful spirit.” I can’t get joy by trying to get it. I can only obtain it by drawing closer to Jesus Christ and His Church. Please pray for me and everyone else who is desirous of a close relationship to Jesus, which will give us the joy as a fruit of the spirit.
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Cristiano
Guest
I think that you are just saying to someone not be unhappy because he makes you unhappy. It sounds to me like the inability to cope with other people’s suffering. What about the Christian concept of compassion? It is about sharing the same pathos!
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Cristiano
Guest
How do you explain “Happy are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted”?
Doesn’t mourning imply being sad?
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irishpatrick
Guest
I agree, we should always be striving for having true joy in the Lord. No doubt at all, and that is a personal call for each person. However, that really has nothing to do with the topic at hand. We should be acting joyful/happy to all those around us because we owe them that.I draw a distinction between happiness, which to me is a very unpredictable emotion that comes and goes many times on its own schedule. I can have moments of random happiness even on my worst days, but there are days that I would not tell you I am happy but I do feel content.
What I am aiming for is JOY in the Lord. Joy is a spiritual state that comes upon me when I am in close contact with Jesus, Mary and the saints. Joy is in receiving the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Joy is in belonging to the true Church that Jesus established. Joy is more than happiness, more than contentment, more than satisfaction.
That is what I am aiming for. I haven’t achieved it yet. I don’t think anyone who knows me would say, “She has a joyful spirit.” I can’t get joy by trying to get it. I can only obtain it by drawing closer to Jesus Christ and His Church. Please pray for me and everyone else who is desirous of a close relationship to Jesus, which will give us the joy as a fruit of the spirit.
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Cristiano
Guest
Who says that? Why do we owe them?
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Cristiano
Guest
Who says that? Why do we owe them? That sounds just like my in laws from the mid-west. They are simply afraid of other people’s emotions.
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irishpatrick
Guest
Of course mourning is sad and we all have times during which we mourn. The point is we should present a happy demeanor to those around us even if we are mourning. Sometimes that is not possible, I get that, yet we should try to act happy all the time.
It is not an easy notion–to act happy even when we are sad…yet I truly believe we need much more of this and not less and I think Catholics are quite guilty of acting somber way to much. We should be kicking out heels into the air with joy for all the things Christ gave us, yet we act like we are going through terrible trials every moment (for some that is true, yet whenever possible we should act joyful).
How are we supposed to help attract people to the faith and to Christ if we constantly act somber or sad?
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Cristiano
Guest
You are just making generalizations about Catholics that are not true. I agree with you if say that people should not be downers just to get attention but beyond that I think that it is hypocritical to act happy. Please listen to the audio file By Peter Kreeft that I previously posted. It will make things much clearer for you.
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irishpatrick
Guest
I am very well educated in the faith and I do not need clarification at this point. These are my opinions and it has taken much time and effort to reach. You are quite welcome to reject my views because they are just my opinions…nothing more. The Church makes no statement about whether or not we should act happy.
As you to your points: it is not the least hypocritical to act happy. It is an act of love towards those around you because you are then acting selflessly by not putting your troubles on someone else. The generalizations I made are things that I 100% believe are true. Catholics act quite somber, especially in matters of the faith. I believe we should be acting joyful nearly all the time–we act like we are part of the world, rather then being part of Jesus’ Kingdom.
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Cristiano
Guest
If you are not happy with people being sad, then just pretend that you are happy and stop this discussion. Why are you bringing us down with the fact that there is something that you do not like and it bothers you? Just pretend to be happy and ignore them.
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irishpatrick
Guest
Philippians 4:4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. "
==> Note: rejoice always, not just when we feel like it.
Psalm 118:24 - “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
==> Note: It does not say we rejoice only when we feel like it.
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:11
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,… 1 Peter 1:8
==> Note: rejoice always, not just when we feel like it.
Psalm 118:24 - “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
==> Note: It does not say we rejoice only when we feel like it.
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:11
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,… 1 Peter 1:8
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irishpatrick
Guest
Friend, I believe we should act happy, there is no other agenda. I have created this thread to try to encourage people to act happy. Truly, if you disagree, then just state that and please move on and avoid further discussion on this thread (and I beg you to not again reply in sarcasm trying to throw these points back at me as in a mirror–I know that tactic too and I ask you to just let it go if you disagree).If you are not happy with people being sad, then just pretend that you are happy and stop this discussion. Why are you bringing us down with the fact that there is something that you do not like and it bothers you? Just pretend to be happy and ignore them.
I say this with complete respect for you as a person and as a fellow person in Christ, our Lord. I mean no harm, no injury and no insult. I just think people should act happy and that acting happy has many profound consequences.
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