15th Sunday: The secret to happiness

 

Readings for 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time

What do we need for happiness? Truth is food for our head, happiness is food for our heart. The Grant Study from Harvard University followed the lives of undergraduates for more than seventy years after their graduation. It was a study to determine whether they were happy. The study continued as the participants married, divorced, had children, succeeded and failed through the decades. Some participants were studied into their nineties. The Grant Study is one of the longest-running and most in-depth studies of human flourishing ever conducted. The lead researcher summarized all seventy or so years of the study with the following conclusion:
   
Robert J. Spitzer, drawing on both philosophy and psychology, wrote Healing the Culture.  Fr. Spitzer distinguishes four different experiences of happiness.

1. Level-one happiness is bodily pleasure obtained by drink, food, drugs, or sex, etc.
2. Level-two happiness pertains to competitive advantage in terms of money, fame, power, popularity, or other material goods.
3. Level-three happiness involves loving and serving other people, and therefore avoiding harming others.
4. Level-four happiness is found in loving and serving God.[ii] This is the level where transcendent meaning in life is experienced.

Of course heaven, the beatific vision according to Aquinas, is to see God as he is; to experience love directly and not through intermediaries. When Jesus is asked in today’s Gospel “what must I do to inherit eternal life, he is talking about the experience of God in service to others.

Love and Happiness
So, who am I supposed to serve?

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law?
How do you read it?"  He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart,
 with all your being,
 with all your strength, and with all your mind,
 and your neighbor as yourself."
He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." Lk. Lk. 10:25

At the Last Supper, Jesus commanded us, “love one another.” John 13:34 In his preaching, he instructed us to love God with all our might and our neighbor as ourselves. Lk. 10:27 He loved those who were least lovable such as lepers, tax collectors and criminals. He returned love to those who crucified him; “Forgive them for they know not what they do.” Lk. 23:34 Today’s Gospel about the Good Samaritan is fundamentally about the question ‘who do you love?’  Jesus instructs that even our perceived enemies are our neighbor. The Samaritan cares, doesn’t hold a grudge and loves the fallen man. The beneficiary of that love is not just the injured man, but the Samaritan himself. Jesus illustrates what is required for happiness, eternal life.
 
Religion and Happiness: the Levite and the Priest
The Priest and the Levite who pass by without helping are religious, but held up to criticism for not helping the fallen man. Religious practice plays an important role in happiness [iii]. For believers who report strongly believing in God, twice as many report being happy with their lives, than non-believers. Eighty-six percent of those who attend weekly services report being ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their lives. These figures only account for those who actually practice their faith. Other religious practices also invite happiness. Caring for the poor, the migrant, the single parent and the homeless for the love of God is a religious duty leading to increased happiness.
 
Commandment not to covet and happiness
The religious admonition against social comparison [iv] is a route to happiness. Remember the tenth commandment admonishes us not to covet our neighbor’s goods or marital relationship. Our neighbor ought not to be the object of our envy. The discipline of positive psychology strongly suggests that fueling upward mobility by social comparison will most likely lead in frustration. We want what other people have, until we have it, and then we don’t want it anymore. There are probably other good reasons to try an excel and compete, but happiness may not be the result. Robin Williams, who had four Oscar nominations, and won the Oscar for best supporting actor for Good Will Hunting said that the thrill lasted about one week [v]. A biographer of Michael Jackson wrote that after his album Thriller sold 70 million copies, he wanted to surpass himself. His next album sold only 30 million and that was deeply disappointing to him. When we are always comparing ourself to others, we fail to have gratitude for what we already have.
 
Forgiveness and Happiness
Researchers have also found that forgiving persons and refusing to hold a grudge, is the key to happiness. Why get sucked into the past? Failure to forgive holds onto negative emotions, resentment, bitterness, hostility, hatred, anger and fear. None of which is a recipe for enjoyment of good things and happiness. Conversely, gratitude leads to feelings of pleasure, enjoyment, connectedness and good relationships. [vi]
 
The Three Good things exercise and Happiness
The Three Good Things [vii] is an exercise in increased happiness and awareness of happiness. St. Ignatius of Loyola taught the same truth. Begin prayer with recollecting specific things in your day that are good and even made you happy.

… “Three Good Things” exercise … significantly increases happiness by making us more aware of what gives us joy.  The practice is simple. First, at the end of each day, write down three positive things, large or small, that you experienced. They could relate to any of the four levels of happiness. (I had a really good cheeseburger; I finally got that promotion; I helped my son with his math homework; I felt close to God in prayer.) Those who undertake this practice report that they are significantly happier than those who did not. Kaczor, Christopher. The Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church (p. 62). Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition.  

 If we focus exclusively on our grudges, fears and frustrations, we head in the wrong direction. Of course, we must deal with the negativity in our life, but we don’t need to rent it space in our heads. This exercise is based on the idea that there are levels of happiness that need to be intentionally called to mind.  Humans desire happiness of each kind, but not every level provides equal and lasting contentment. Proper love is found at every level of happiness. Intentionally choosing to serve another is the meaning of today’s Gospel. Jesus concludes his parable with, “Go and do likewise." We can’t improve on that in our search for good advice on happiness.