HAPPINESS? 

IT’S YOU, NOT ME!

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Happiness? It’s You, Not Me!”

THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS

One of life’s ongoing questions is, “What’s the secret of happiness?”

It’s asked in various ways, “What’s the meaning of life?” or  “What have you learned so far?” or "What are you looking for?" or “What’s it all about Alfie?”

In Latin we were given a sentence from St. Thomas Aquinas - coming from his use of Aristotle. It is said to be a life sentence: “Omne agens agit propter finem.  Finem est bonum.” [1]

Translation: everything we do, we do for a purpose - and end in view - and basically every time that end is for a good.

Even when we do something bad, we think there is a good in it. It’s called an apparent good [bonum apparens].

Ooops. I don’t want to gum up my homily with some Latin stuff - that might sound complicated.

So in this homily I’m simply saying that the secret of life is to do everything for others and we will be happy.

Once more the title of my homily is, “Happiness? It’s You, Not Me!”

TODAY’S READINGS

That’s the message of today’s readings.

The first reading from Second Corinthians 9: 6-10 says God loves a cheerful giver.

It also says that the person who sows sparingty, won’t get that many tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, watermelons or flowers.

The first reading also uses the word “abundant”. That triggers the thought that if we look around this world we’ll see how much abundance God has given.

Say to God, “What’s with all these stars?”  And I’d add, “Why isn’t there life on them all?” 

And God would probably say, “Turkey get on a glass bottom boat and take a look at all the fish in all the oceans of our world? Get a microscope and look at the life that surrounds you.”

I heard something like this on public radio a week ago. “One hair on your head can produce a million stem cells in about 2 weeks.”

“What?” I said, “Let me hear that again?” 

Well the radio doesn’t work like that, so I’ll keep looking for what that was about.  From another angle, it doesn’t matter, because nature offers many examples of incredible numbers once one starts looking into creation.

Today’s gospel repeats this same message about the more or less in giving and not giving.  The wheat seed sitting in a bag in a wharehouse is just a wheat seeds on a shelf. Plant those seeds. Close your eyes. Come back in a while and take a good  look at a field filled with wheat.

Jesus is saying, “If you try to hold onto your life and you don’t give, you’re going to end up hating your life.”

Give and you will live. Serve tables, wash feet, hold doors, listen instead of doing all the talking, give, give and give, and you’ll see happy faces including your own.

CONCLUSION

Today is the feast of St. Lawrence, the deacon who gave, gave, gave, served served, served - and was killed with that attitude in mind.

The legend is that he said when they were burning him to death, “Turn me over I’m done on this side.”

NOTES:

[1] St. Thomas Aquinas, Ethics of St. Thomas Auinas,  St. Ia IIas, Q. 25, A, 2,  "Omne agens agit propter finem aliquem, ut supra dictum est. Finis autem est bonum desideratum et amatum uncuique."