A wonderful retreat master, a holy priest, told our retreatants’ group that we all seek two things in this life—joy and love. Lacking in either of these, we’ll end up with problematic behaviors and dead-end pursuits. It seems that today, many people need a lot more joy and love in their lives in a world that looks increasingly deprived of both joy and love. Our mission as their brothers and sisters in Christ involves helping them with that. But, are you and I experiencing a need for more joy and love as well?
We All Seek Joy
Pope St. Paul VI tells us joy represents the most noble expression of happiness,
…or ‘happiness’ in the strict sense when man, on the level of his higher faculties, finds his peace and satisfaction in the possession of a known and loved good…in the encounter, sharing and communion with other people. All the more does he know spiritual joy or happiness when his spirit enters into the possession of God…the supreme and immutable good.
Joy, the highest level of happiness, comes with that sense of peace obtained when, with God’s grace, we enter into communion with Him. This is what Fr. Robert Spitzer refers to as “Level Four” happiness in Finding True Happiness.
We All Seek the Highest Level of Happiness
Fr. Spitzer’s four-level model can help us understand the concept of happiness. For example, at the lowest level, the focus is on pleasure and material things—food, drink, affection, home, car, jewelry, etc. The next higher level focuses on one’s comparative standing in the world. In other words, how do I compare in achievement, status, perceived intelligence, power and control? Moving up another level, creating a positive difference in the world drives happiness. That is, do I make a difference, through my actions, in family, friends, community, the Church and society? Being open to a transcendental power Who is perfect, unconditional truth and love (God) generates Level Four happiness. We experience this highest level of happiness when we open our souls to God, to union with Him.
The happiness—true joy—you and I seek, whether we recognize it or not, comes from communion with God, the all perfect, all loving Creator. Only in Him will you find the peace and joy to carry you through this life’s tribulations. Yet, how many times do you and I try to satisfy this search for happiness through lower- level pursuits? I used to joke that one could never own too many fly rods and fly reels. Others I’ve known felt that way about their grown-up toys and hobbies. But all of us were wrong. We can, indeed, own too much “stuff.” We never will be satisfied with it, no matter how much we own. Similarly, the desire to be known as the most powerful or smartest at work can generate high anxiety, not peace. What level of happiness are you chasing? And where are you looking for love?
We All Seek True Love
God is love. He is perfect, unconditional, unchanging, merciful love. In actively seeking a relationship with Him, we cooperate with His grace and His love for us. You can know His love for you—a unique, particular love that He has for you alone. I think it was in Acklin and Hicks’ book, Personal Prayer, where the authors said God loves each of us “the best.” He loves you more than you love yourself, in so deep and broad a way as to be unimaginable to a finite, imperfect human intellect. Yet, do you recognize this amazing fact? Do you truly believe it and embrace it as the truth that it is?
How many of us have pursued poor substitutes for His love in lieu of the real deal? Just look at the many failed relationships and broken families as a couple of possible indicators. The world offers you and me “love” based on emotional appeal–on fickle feelings. Worldly love is an imposter. When you seek fulfillment in anything less than Him, you are settling for less than what you were created for. This is not to say one can’t love created things and beings in, through, and for God and His greater glory. Rather, you’ll only find true, unconditional love in and with Him. Outside of that, no matter how hard you try, you’re still “lookin’ for love in all the wrong places,” to borrow a line from an old country/western song.
Getting Back on Track with True Love
If you or someone you know is struggling, perhaps feeling not as loved as you or they would wish, there are things you can do. For one, get back to developing an ever deeper relationship with Love Himself. Spend some serious time in prayer with God every day to build that relationship back up with Him. If you’ve been AWOL from the Sacraments, get back to them. Find a priest to hear your Confession. Go to Mass, receive Holy Communion at least weekly. One doesn’t develop a loving relationship with a spouse by not spending time with them. Similarly, don’t expect to develop a strong, loving relationship with Our Lord if you don’t spend time with Him. As well, performing charitable acts for others, all for God’s greater glory, will help you grow in the virtue of charity and in your closeness to God, who is charity.
Peace and Joy Derive from Charity
By growing in your love of God for Himself, and your love of neighbor, you’re on your way to an increase in joy. With your love for God increasing, you should experience more joy as well. Love of our infinite God, with all his goodness, will produce a greater joy than love of any created thing. Pursuing God as our first goal, and avoiding the world’s tugs at our hearts, will give rise to the Holy Spirit’s fruit of joy in us. In other words, get an active prayer life in place, receive the sacraments frequently, avoid sin and serve others for the glory of God. This is the secret of those who are joyful.
You can’t find peace by watching network news, the sitcoms or talk shows. Social media won’t do it, either. Peace comes from the joy and love you experience as you get closer to God. Spend some time with God in solitude, praying and listening to Him, to have peace. If you’re seriously pursuing a deeper relationship with Jesus, sinning will cause disquiet, taking your peace. So, actively working at eliminating sinful actions and habits will help increase your peace and joy.
Make Your Joy Known
St. Paul constantly exhorts us to rejoice in his epistles. For example, in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 he tells us, “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Similarly, in Philippians 4:4-7, he exhorts us to rejoice in the Lord always, with no anxiety about anything. This comes from a man who was beaten with rods three times, stoned and left for dead, and shipwrecked three times. It would seem he knows whereof he speaks, so we should pay attention to his advice.
Rejoice in the Lord; show your joy, your happiness, to all you encounter. And don’t take yourself too seriously; don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself. The world needs more humor, not another Gloomy Gladys or a Gloomy Glenn. You are called to be a light in the darkness. Let God’s light shine through you into the darkness. Serve the Lord by serving others with joy, creating more joy and peace for His greater glory. You have a mission to fulfill. God’s people need you to show His love, peace and joy to them, right now, wherever you are.
“Joy, with peace, is the sister of charity. Serve the Lord with laughter. ” ― St.
