The Guadalupe Institute

The
Guadalupe
Institute

Happiness

The United States of America is believed to be the only nation which has Happiness as a defined goal, i.e. the goal of “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness”. One definition of happiness is: “Seek happiness and you will never find it but seek a worthwhile goal and you will find happiness without having sought it.”

There are number of biblical references to happiness. Perhaps a significant one is a quote by St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians 4:4 – 9, which reads as follows:

I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness. Let your tolerance be evident to everyone: the Lord is very near. There is no need to worry; but if there is anything you need, pray for it asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving, and that peace of God, which is so much greater than we can understand, will guard your hearts and your thoughts, in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, fill your minds with everything that is true, everything that is noble, everything that is good and pure, everything that we love and honor, and everything that can be thought virtuous or worthy of praise. Keep doing all the things that you learned from me and have been taught by me and have heard or seen that I do. Then the God of peace will be with you.

The book of Ecclesiasticus also called the book of Sirach at 14:20, under the heading “true happiness” states: “happy the man who has not sinned in speech and who need feel no remorse for sins. Happy the man whose own soul does not accuse him*, and who has never given up hope.” [*emphasis supplied as sometimes one who has taken a wrong turn in life can not forgive himself for the wrong committed on himself or on another person. As God is merciful and can forgive, the individual must forgive himself to allow life to move on to joy and peace. Without forgiveness, the wrong will continue to fester.]

At Sirach heading “happiness” 30:21 – 27 states: “do not abandon yourself to sorrow, do not torment yourself with brooding. Gladness of heart is life to a man; joy is what gives him length of days. Beguile your cares, consult your heart, chase sorrow far away; for sorrow has been the ruin of many, and is no use to anybody. Jealousy and anger shorten your days, and worry brings premature old age. A genial heart makes a good trencherman, one who benefits from his food.”

At 34:15 “Happy the soul of the man who fears the Lord. On whom does he rely? Who supports him? The eyes of the Lord watch over those who love him, he is their powerful protection and their strong support, their screen from the desert wind, their shelter from the midday sun, a guard against stumbling, an assurance against the fall.”

THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS has seven beatitudes of happiness. At 1 – 3: “happy is the one who reads this book, and happy are those who listen to the words of this prophetic message and obey what is written in this book!” At 14 – 13: “happy are those who from now on die in the service of the Lord!” At 16 – 15: “ happy is he who stays awake and guards his clothes, so that he will not walk around naked and be ashamed in public!” 19 – 9: “happy are those who have been invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” 15 – 6: “happy and greatly blessed are those who are included in this first raising up the dead. The second death has no power over them; they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they will rule with him for 1000 years.” 22 – 7: “happy are those who obey the prophetic words in this book!” And at 22 – 14: “happy are those who wash their robes clean and so have the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life and to go through the gates into the city.”