God has a formula for the happy life

February 3, 2008 -- Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Bishop Robert Morneau

	Bishop Robert Morneau
	Questions for reflection: 1. What is God's criteria for making good decisions? 2. What is your vision of the "happy" life? 3. How would your explain the Beatitudes to a six-year-old?

Wisdom is not necessarily a matter of age. Recently a grandmother in her early sixties told of a personal dilemma. Should she return to her passion of being an artist with all its dangers of self-preoccupation or should she continue being busy with family relationships, running here and there? Her six-year-old granddaughter put it rather bluntly: "Grandma, are you going to paint or spent time with us?"

Perhaps we have a false dilemma here. It doesn't have to be absolute devotion to one's passion or absolute commitment to family relationships. Balance is possible though often difficult and agonizing.

The issue here is one of happiness. What is it that will bring us graced contentment and satisfaction? Jesus has a perspective regarding this matter and instructs us accordingly. It is poverty of spirit, a sympathetic heart, a humble meekness, a passion for justice, deep seated-mercy, purity of hearty, a longing for peace that will put us on the road to happiness. Throw in persecution for what is true and good, and you have a formula for happiness. When an individual or community embraces this vision and the virtues necessary to implement that vision, then we have great cause to rejoice and be glad.

St. Paul would have some comments to make to the grandmother. He would remind her that God had a strange set of criteria for building the kingdom. The divine preference is for the foolish, the weak, the lowly, and the despised. None of these individuals has anything to boast of. And when good is done or the truth is told, all credit must go to the Lord in whom they boast. God chose a six-year-old grandchild to challenge her grandmother to reflect carefully on the allocation of her limited time and energy.

Zephaniah steps forward with his advice to the grandmother as well. Whether one is an artist or not, a grandmother or aunt, everyone is to seek the Lord, to seek humility, to seek justice. We have here a way of life truly pleasing to the Lord. We have here a formula for the happy life. The virtue of humility gives us a doorway into the truth of being. We are created, limited, loved, forgiven, and totally indebted to God for everything we have and are. The virtue of justice puts us into the right relationship with our sisters and brothers. Rights are promoted and duties are fulfilled. Here are elements of a happy, holy life.

But even with these perspectives and sound advice, we still have to make personal decisions in our search for happiness and peace. The grandmother/artist felt the tension between her passion for painting and her extravagant love for her grandchildren. In the end, happiness lies in observing God's law: acting justly, loving tenderly, walking humbly with our God (Micah 6:8).

The alternative opening prayer for today's liturgy reads: "May we serve you with our every desire and show love for one another even as you have loved us." In our search for happiness, we must realize that it is essentially God's work. Our part is to be open to the Spirit and responsive to the stirrings of grace.

(Bishop Morneau is the auxiliary bishop of the Green Bay Diocese and pastor of Resurrection Parish in Allouez.)