Is happiness a subsidy of faith?

[EphelDuath]

Say there’s a Catholic who weekly attends Mass, rarely falls into mortal sin but still goes to confession frequently, never receives Communion while in mortal sin, etc.

But he’s also unhappy. It could for any reason from girl troubles to dissatisfaction with work. Would you classify this person as a “good” Catholic?

 

[Junebug999]

Does being a “good Catholic” matter? Is it more important how “good” God views him, or how he sees himself? Maybe he has a different outlook of himself than what he shows to the world (the being “good” part)? Maybe he needs to talk with his priest. Sometimes we all feel a little empty or even unhappy and don’t know why. You know – hills and valleys – maybe he is just in a little valley. Maybe talking to his priest, a trusted Christian friend or a counselor would help.

 

[cecilia97]

Say there’s a Catholic who weekly attends Mass, rarely falls into mortal sin but still goes to confession frequently, never receives Communion while in mortal sin, etc.

But he’s also unhappy. It could for any reason from girl troubles to dissatisfaction with work. Would you classify this person as a “good” Catholic?

I don’t think faith means you will automatically “get” happiness, is that what you’re asking?

Look at Mother Theresa…few would doubt she was a woman of faith, but she was deeply unhappy at times, from what her letters show. Even Christ was not happy all the time.

There is a woman at my church who has a deep faith and love for God. But she has chronic pain and is frequently unhappy. I think faith can give us a sense of peace more than happiness…that whatever we may endure in this life, there’s hope for eternal happiness in the future.

Depression, the wrong job, family problems…those can all cause unhappiness despite a person’s faith. Faith helps us deal with it better.

 

[1234]

Say there’s a Catholic who weekly attends Mass, rarely falls into mortal sin but still goes to confession frequently, never receives Communion while in mortal sin, etc.

But he’s also unhappy. It could for any reason from girl troubles to dissatisfaction with work. Would you classify this person as a “good” Catholic?

If this forum is any guide, there are a lot of unhappy Catholics out there.

I know a lot of happy atheists, non-religious people and UU’s! There doesn’t appear to be any relationship between religiosity and happiness.

Happiness is self-acceptance. It is accepting what cannot be changed and trying to change and improve what can. It’s living day-to-day, in the moment, having a sense of humor, being accepting of people and their frailties. Not much of this has anything to do with religion.

Catholicism sets the bar so high, it’s so easy to sin, MORtally sin and go to hell without PERfect contrition and absolution (where’s the priest?), such as after one act of masturbation, apparently, that I’m surprised that any Catholics are happy.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Matthew Chapter 17

6 And the Lord said: If you had faith like to a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this mulberry tree, Be thou rooted up, and be thou transplanted into the sea: and it would obey you. 7 But which of you having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, will say to him, when he is come from the field: Immediately go, sit down to meat: 8 And will not rather say to him: Make ready my supper, and gird thyself, and serve me, whilst I eat and drink, and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant, for doing the things which he commanded him? 10 I think not. So you also, when you shall have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do.

God owes us nothing. We cannot bargain with God, sort of saying: I will do all you have asked, and then you owe me. God owes us nothing and we remain forever unprofitable servants who have only done what we should - our duty. That we are children of God loved by Him with His Unfailing Mercy is pure gift…God does not “owe” it to us, not indebted to us.

Blessings - Barb

 

[Jeanette_L]

I think a lot of times we confuse “happiness” with “joy”, they are different and so is their source.

As Christians, whether Catholic or not, our “joy” comes from the Lord as our source of salvation. This is a spiritual joy that has no bearing in our earthly circumstances.

Happiness is fleeting. It is a product of our disposition, our circumstances, many factors which change with the wind.

I would not say that this poor soul is a bad Catholic because his disposition and circumstances are not allowing for long periods of happiness. I think we can see that some people’s lot in life seem to be more troublesome, we don’t have good answers as to why, we just have to trust that God knows best and is there for us all.

 

[puzzleannie]

happiness is conforming oneself to Christ in the light of the beatitudes, and has little to do with the quantity or quality of earthly suffering and pleasure, except insofar as one’s attitude toward them. yes faith is the means by which we can accept that the beatitudes are indeed the route to happiness.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

If a person is a faithful practising Catholic and is not happy, then I tend to think that there is something amiss somewhere and this could be spiritual - or it could have other causes. Such a person may need spiritual advice…or perhaps some other form of counselling. But God is not obliged to grant us happiness - if we are happy, at Peace and Joyful then it is a purely undeserved gift of God…not something God was under any sort of obligation to grant us for some reason. Certainly The Lord has made promises to us if we follow Him, but He is not under obligation to fulfill those promises if we are following Him - rather because He is Ever Faithful, He keeps those promises as a pure gift to us. We have not earned or deserve them.
All that is good be it most minute or most grand does not have its origin and cause (nor effect or affect) in us, but rather in God and His Grace and so any good we may appear to accomplish is only appearance to ‘wordly eyes’ rather God has accomplished this good through us and we do not and cannot own it for ourselves alone. Hence it is always God who deserves and has earned all the glory and praise and ownership for all good small or great. If a person is a faithful loyal Catholic then God and His Grace has accomlished this good…and the person ‘due or owed’ nothing. “The Spirit blows where He May”. “You have not chosen Me, I have chosen you”. “All is Grace” (St. Therese)

Blessings - Barb

 

[leonie]

Our Lady only promised St. Bernadette happiness in the next life.

Also, I’d say that perhaps what needs to be worked on in an unhappy person’s life are the virtues. Father Benedict Groeschel has a great book about virtues.

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I’d also say that Hope is more closely alligned with happiness than with faith.

Also an unhappy person should pray for joy.

Here’s a couple of Bible verses that are my favorites:

Romans 12:12
Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.

Phillipians 4-8

Rejoice 4 in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!

Your kindness 5 should be known to all. The Lord is near.

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.

Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

 

[wjp984]

I don’t think there needs to be a correlation. I would hope I never lose my faith in God but I’m generally not a happy person. In my opinion, and most probably will disagree, happiness is a gift that not everyone gets so some people are just happy people and others are not. I’m not saying I can’t be happy. I’m saying it is more difficult for me than others. However, I know someone with a tremendous amount of faith in God and I’ve never met anyone more cheerful in my life so maybe the amount of faith and trust in God does have a correlation since I’m generally happier when I think I’m doing what God wants me to be doing or just going to mass more or adoration and stuff like that.

 

[Mark_Robert]

I think a lot of times we confuse “happiness” with “joy”, they are different and so is their source.

As Christians, whether Catholic or not, our “joy” comes from the Lord as our source of salvation. This is a spiritual joy that has no bearing in our earthly circumstances.

Happiness is fleeting. It is a product of our disposition, our circumstances, many factors which change with the wind.

I would not say that this poor soul is a bad Catholic because his disposition and circumstances are not allowing for long periods of happiness. I think we can see that some people’s lot in life seem to be more troublesome, we don’t have good answers as to why, we just have to trust that God knows best and is there for us all.

This poster nails it on the head. Happiness has to do with happenstance or outward circumstances that are very often outside our control. Happiness is also transitory and can change at a moment’s notice based upon the ever changing circumstances of life. Joy is a gift of the holy spirit imparted by God alone. A spiritual person can be a joyful person even in the midst of earthly suffering because their joy comes from God. That is the power of joy and what makes it infinitely more perfect than the frail foundations of happiness the world foolishly seeks.