What Makes for Happiness?

"Happy are you poor; the Kingdom of God is yours! (Luke 6:20). In the Catholic Times' column View from the Ark, a priest would like us to meditate along with him on "poverty." The word keeps coming back to him like something caught in his throat that he can't get rid of. His mission over the years has been with the poor and he has now been given the responsibility for working with the poor in the diocese.

Everybody wants to eliminate poverty, he says. What is good about poverty? we tend to ask. Is there any reason to voluntarily live the life of poverty? Living with the poor and seeing how they live, he says, has affected how he sees his own life.

Many who work with the poor remember the words from the Puebla documents of 1979 that there should be a preferential option for the poor. For what reason can the poor be considered happy? the priest asks. Why did Jesus use these words? Why is this an important part of our social Gospel? We talk about Gospel poverty, the spirituality of poverty, voluntary poverty and the like. Why did Jesus say the poor were blessed?

The priest lets his thoughts go back to his childhood, during which time the family moved many times and ended up in a house that seemed like a palace to him. It was the home of his maternal aunt and he doesn't  remember why they lived there, but it was a five room two-story house, with a room for each member of his family of five. It had a big yard where he could play soccer and baseball, and even a small pond. However, in time, it felt strange to him, as the family began to scatter. While in the house, you would often feel alone for the whole day, he said. Going and coming,  there would be the usual greetings, and after that he would go to his room. It was not like living in a family, he said. Would it have been better to have lived in a larger house?

His second recollection from the past was when he became an army chaplain. He had decided, when he became a priest, not to have a car, but when he learned he was to be a chaplain he quickly got his driving license. As a matter of course, there was a vehicle at his disposal. It took him over twenty minutes to drive to the chapel for Mass, and when the vehicle broke down and was being repaired, he walked or took the bus to get around.  The experience turned out to be very positive: he met many different people and had experiences that he would not have had with a car.

Citing the words of Jesus once again: "He made himself poor, though he was rich" (2 Cor. 8:9). Why did Jesus live poorly, with no place to lay his head? Was it not that money and material things do not help one find happiness and are in the long run obstacles? the priest asks.

When we talk about poverty, the first thing that comes to mind is the pain or discomfort of not getting what one wants. However, when most of us go on vacation or travel, we are leaving the comfort of home and generally undergo some discomfort in the process. Isn't this an effort to be close to nature and to experience inner peace? the priest asks. Are we not at that time, he says, going in search of poverty?

The countries with the highest index of happiness, as is generally known, are the poorest.  It is not that the world lacks material abundance, he says, but rather that we are not sharing it with those in need. Is this not a sign, he says, that we should all be living a poorer and simpler lifestyle? Would it not, he concludes, tend to bring us closer to living a happier life?
 

Catholic Priests' Manifesto

A manifesto by the Catholic Priests of Korea have charged the National Intelligence Service for illegal involvement in  the elections for president last year, as reported by the Catholic Times. And for releasing the transcript of the 2007 inter-Korean summit even though it was classified in order to promote their candidate for the presidency.

There has been a great deal of dissatisfaction in the way much of the media distorts the issues in their coverage of the news . Although the Catholic Press is also biased, this is understood by the public, but this should not be the case with secular media, which should report the events as objectively as possible and not distort the facts for partisan purposes. Biased and deceitful reporting does not help to form a mature democracy by educating the citizens to correctly assess the current state of the country.


The article mentions that one diocese, which has never publicly disapproved of the government, has joined the other dioceses with  its statement.  In this case, the association of priests has gone on record with a statement that criticizes the government agency for their involvement in the presidential election, which shows unanimity in understanding the Church's teaching on social issues and that this understanding should be expressed whenever there is a flagrant violation of justice. 

The Catholic response covers several positions; the editorial examines two. One position believes the Church should not be involved in politics. Priests and religious should not speak out against or for government policy. The other position believes the Church, as a member of society, and according to the social teaching of the Church, should speak out against injustices and work to make a just society. Consequently, criticism of the unjust acts of the government and expressing this publicly is the only proper position, according to the Times' editorial.
 
The editorial sympathizes with the intention of those who hold the first position, acknowledging a danger exists of an unwanted side effect leading to discord and division within the Church. Those holding to the second position feel that when we see injustice and  immorality, it is the duty of citizens to work to change the situation. The Church, it is understood, has to stay clear of partisan issues. However, that politics and the Church exist in two separate worlds, with two different premises and thus should be completely separated is  a distorted idea of what the separation of Church and State means, says the editorial. This kind of thinking has no validity in the thinking of a Catholic.

There is the hope that the what was done illegally and immorally in the past will be acknowledged by the government agencies, and public apologies issued, but this may be wistful thinking--transparency is not one of the values that society considers important.There have been sporadic candlelight processions to express the public's outrage, but they have been infrequent, with few participants. Moreover, with the media showing little interest, the chances are that the public's indignation will disappear with time, unless something extraordinary happens.

"The Theresa Effect"

The desk columnist of the Catholic Times refers to a recent discussion on the Internet on what being a member of the middle class means for the French and for Koreans. For a Korean, a middle class life means having no debt, living in an apartment with more than 1000 square feet, a monthly salary of over $4,466, a car with an engine of over 2000 cc, money in the bank, and the leisure to go overseas once a year. For the French, it means having the ability to speak one foreign language, to participate in at least one sport, play a musical  instrument, be able to prepare a special dish for guests, respond with righteous indignation at seeing evil in society and work to change it, and to offer freely your services to others.

The columnist points out that for a Korean what is important is financial success, while for the French, it is quality of life, the writer being especially attracted to their desire to be of  service to  others.

Some years ago, on a visit to Lourdes, she remembers meeting a doctor who was staying with his wife and child at the same hotel where she was staying. They had come from Paris to the pilgrimage shrine for two weeks on vacation, and were there to volunteer their services to the hospital.

Recently we have seen, she says, an increase of individuals and of industry taking an interest in volunteer service.  The office of statistics has published the results from their survey, which sees an increase from 14.3 percent in 2006 to19.8 percent in 2012. The columnist, however, doesn't see this all positively; she feels that some of the increase comes from those who are trying to improve their marketability in the work force and to get points for college.
 
There may be a lack of the proper attitude on the part of  some who are looking only for the  quantity of hours of service. The formation of a consensus of what volunteering should mean is still a work in process, she says.

In 1998, a professor at Harvard University talked about the "Theresa Effect." A  group was shown a movie about the life of Mother Theresa and, after the viewing, were checked to  determine the change in their immunity antibody count.
 
Usually when a person is under stress or has worries, the antibody count goes down, but for those that saw the film, the index increased. This was not because of any work of service that was actually done, as you would expect, but only because they watched a film of one whose life was dedicated to service. After this study, changes in the mental, bodily and societal effects resulting from service to others has been called the "Theresa Effect."

For a Christian, service to others comes from our Lord's saying (Matt 22:39): " You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The columnist hopes this desire to help will increase and that the "Theresa Effect" will become second nature in our society.

Are You Happy Now?

An essay on happiness by a Catholic priest appeared a few days ago in the Chosun Ilbo, with the provocative headline "Are you Happy Now?" It tells the story of a woman born with cerebral palsy. He got to know her while he was a parish priest many years ago. She was not able to move on her own and had difficulty speaking clearly. Unfortunately, her parents tried to keep her condition hidden, so she spent most of her time in a room behind the house. The only association she had with others was the monthly visit by the priest and parishioners, who would make the rounds visiting the sick of the parish. On one of these visits, the woman managed to express the following:

"Father I see my life as insignificant and of little worth. I am a burden on all and am full of resentment. I have thought of suicide often but because of my condition this is not something I can do. I have always felt bitterness against God and my parents. In this world, everything has a meaning  and in my prayer all I do is ask God what is my reason for existence? However, this morning on the occasion of your visit my thoughts changed and were replaced by a new understanding of my pain. I understood that because of my pain, I am better able to respond sympathetically to the pain of others. I feel that I am able to serve those who are having pain in life. That is the reason for my life and the way I will find happiness in life."

The priest on hearing these words from the woman was greatly moved. Most people try to get rid of their pain but here was a woman who came to the realization that she could  serve others because of her experience with pain. The woman came to accept her situation and see it as a means to help others. She could see the positive side to the pain she was experiencing, which the priest considered very much like those who have dedicated their lives to a religious vocation. She no longer wanted to be hidden but wanted to face the world, and she did so with confidence; you could see in her demeanor and the way she moved her troublesome body.  She soon began to work among young women who were released from prison.  Although many years have passed, he believes she is still working to help others and a happy person.

The priest refers to a survey that was made among teenagers who were asked what they thought was the most important thing in life. Over half considered money the most important. There is no reason to find fault with this response, he said, for there are many who feel that with money all problems can be solved. Even happiness, many believe, can be bought. Money, which is no more than a piece of paper, is worshiped as if it were God-like.

We are all in search of happiness. Can we say that life is a journey to find happiness? the priest asks. What we know for sure, he goes on to say, is that we can't say what will bring us happiness or unhappiness. We have seen happiness and unhappiness change very quickly. Happy people can quickly forget their unhappiness of the past, and when unhappy they can quickly forget their past happiness.

We have often seen persons that have all the so-called conditions to be happy, but they are not happy.  Happiness is not something objective but is a subjective state.  Conditions for happiness are not necessary. We are happy, he says, when we think we are happy. In a word happiness depends on our wills  and attitude towards life.
 

No matter how insignificant something seems there is nothing in life that is insignificant; it is only we who see it as worthless and insignificant. If we open our eyes  and our hearts a little more, we will see this, the priest says. Everything has a purpose. We should be able to find joy in small things. Even if our lives seem miserable to others, if we acknowledge the worth of our lives and importance, we will choose happiness and be victorious in life.

We can see many people who give of themselves to bring light to the world. We should reflect on that. Are you, he concludes, really happy now?  Let us ask ourselves: "I am breathing, for that I can give thanks, and enjoy it to the full, this happiness...."

At Age Sixty I Began to Know Myself

"At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning. At thirty, I stood firmly on what I had learned. At forty, I had no doubts. At fifty, I knew the decrees of Heaven. At sixty, my ear was an obedient organ for the reception of truth. At seventy, I could follow what my heart desired without transgressing what was right." These thoughts taken from the Analects of Confucius by a priest writing for priests served to prompt him to reflect on his own "reception of truth" on reaching his 60th year.

In one of his parishes, he recalls a time when he criticized the members of a parish group--and they all quit, and even their family members were adversely affected by his actions, with one parent forbidding their child to continue being an altar boy. Soon after, the child, though usually very sociable, would avoid the priest, who wondered what could the parent have said to bring about this kind of behavior on the part of the child. What  kind of pastor had he become to deserve this kind of response?

He realized that as a pastor he should be like a father, and at his age he felt it was time to act like a father, with this desire manifesting in more caring thoughts, words and actions. but he soon realized that it was easier said than done. Recently, he used words with the parish president that hurt him deeply. The priest tried to apologize a number of times without success.

He says he doesn't want to make any apologies for his actions. And though he has been praised for his pastoral work, now looking back on his life, he sees how he has become selfish and egotistical. It was never about the rightness of a particular situation, he says, but the way he handled the situation, which was usually in a dictatorial manner, that was the problem. When he was young, this behavior was accepted by the family, but at his age and position, he knew his behavior needed to change. If he didn't change, he knew matters would not return to normal as they did years ago.

When he recalls the words of St. Paul (Cor.13) about love being patient, they hurt to the core of his being. He knows he has a quick temper that often causes a great deal of trouble. He knows that more important than achieving results are the people in his life. But what he now has come to understand more deeply, he says, is that these were only words, having no real impact on how he behaved. The difficult situations he often found himself in were not, he now saw clearly, the result of another person's fault but the result of his own lack of love.

Though it was an embarrassing revelation to have to admit this to himself, he has learned, he says, a great deal by what has happened. He will ask for forgiveness again from those he has hurt, and hopes his resolve to put into practice what he now knows will be equivalent to the hurt he feels.

Confucius said that at the age of sixty one can begin to hear the truth clearly, The priest hopes that he will also, having arrived at the age of sixty himself, hear the truth of any situation, no matter how difficult it may seem, and accept it lovingly. And begin, hopefully, the next phase of Confucius' journey: being able to follow what the heart desires--without transgressing but always doing what is right.

Happy Indeed is the Man...

A priest who writes a bulletin for priests notes the answers  received from  the question: What does religion mean to you?

Religion, said one respondent, means sharing what you have and following our Lord like the saints of old: emptying ourselves. But, the priest opines, is this all there is to our religious life?

Others said it means a life of sacrifice; asking for blessings, money and the like,is a worldly thing, not a holy thing. And when they do ask for these things, they feel uncomfortable, they said, as if doing something they should not be doing.  

Then there are those who feel their religion should help them to live a fuller life, and there should be no embarrassment in asking for whatever help they need to achieve this. When we think that asking is not the right thing to do we will have psychological problems, because we were created to satisfy our desires, they said.

When we are not able to satisfy our desires, the mental pain can be great. When children do not  receive what they want they are distressed and can leave home and can become defiant. Adults can try to alleviate their anger by liquor. When we don't receive what we want we fall into despondency, which becomes a way of life. This can also be applied to our religious life.

Devotion  in our religious life  can be seen as the result of the many graces we have received. When we have received much we can hope for more and give thanks for what we have received. Others who did not receive what they want often see religion as meaningless and easily discard it.  Both those that receive and those that do not are looking  at the balance sheet, which then determines their state of mind.


We are self-centered creatures, and when we receive what we want we become more devoted and pray more zealously. All the  examples he has given above involve desires that stem from our perceived needs, and not from a desire to serve God. He gives the example of a person who comes to us with a gift, hoping for something in return, and contrasts that with a person who gives because he likes us and gives unconditionally. We prefer, of course, the one who gives unconditionally. And our relationship with that person changes, knowingly and unknowingly.

The priest finishes his article with a quote from the first psalm, verses 2-3: Happy indeed is the man...whose delight is the law of the Lord and who ponders his law day and night. He is like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters that yields its fruit in due season and whose leaves shall never fade." To ask for blessings is a good thing, but according to the psalm, we receive more by our efforts to live a God-like existence. Doing what God wants us to do in our daily life will open ourselves up to receive everything we need and more. Doing so will yield fruit in abundance.

Life Can be a Maze

A pheasant hen came out of her dark abode and went over to  the edge of a lake. She looked into the water and saw her image, which surprised her: eyes sunken, body thin, feathers dull--she looked ugly. She had been hurt by the abusive behavior of the male pheasant, who left her. She couldn't eat or sleep, and began reflecting on her sorry condition and realized that it was not the male who had brought about her condition. She alone was responsible by the way she had responded to his abusive behavior. Putting her thinking in order and seeing clearly the foolishness of her ways, she aimed for the blue heavens, flying up into the sky, a new being. This story by a Korean fairytale writer, whose stories often serve as a source for reflection by a priest who writes in a bulletin for priests, was used to illustrate what can happen when we don't take responsibility for our emotional responses to difficult situations.  

Fr. K, in his late 30s, severely reprimanded by his bishop, was assigned to a small parish in the outskirts of the diocese, quite a distance from the bishop and the activities of the diocese. He was not very zealous in his work and did not relate well with his fellow priests.

He nurtured his disappointments and failures, which was making the last part of his life bitter and and lonely. His feelings of inferiority and the disappointments made his life with others difficult. That the words of a superior, said in a brief moment, could make life lose its meaning for him, said the priest-writer, is heartbreaking. To ask for forgiveness with an act of great love, or like the hen to fly high into the heavens is extremely difficult.

The bishop was the occasion for this situation but Fr. K  himself, says the priest, is more responsible for the outcome and allowing what occurred in the past to destroy his life is a great fault. Moreover, though the bishop had ostracized him, there was no reason for him to ostracize himself. There never is a good reason, the priest says, when others have put us down to put ourselves down. Though admitting we have many faults, he says there is plenty we can do to correct our defects, which are not part of who we truly are. We are precious beings, unique with great value, who have much to give to others.

It is necessary for us to see ourselves positively, and to love ourselves, he says. When we see ourselves negatively we lose our will, fail to love ourselves, and live without goals. This tends to breed a feeling of inferiority, as we lose hope and fall into despair.

Jesus made it a habit to be with despairing people and gave them hope, which led to the realization that they were loveable, which led to their living in a loving way. We are told that in the middle ages, and even before, a maze was marked out in some manner on many of the church floors. Christians would kneel  at the entrance to the maze and begin crawling along the maze seeking to find the exit. When they came to a dead end, they would retrace their steps and look for another way that would allow them to continue their journey. It was a good lesson in patience and motivation.  Life, at times, can be maze-like, but once we face the difficulties of life and keep in mind that there is a way out of any difficulty, we can, like the pheasant hen, soar toward the heavens and become the being we were meant to be.