Happiness

Saints throughout the time have said that perfect happiness is not possible in this lifetime. For it is even stated by
Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:12 now we ae as though through a glass darkly, but then we see face to face. God created
us with a desire to know Him perfectly, but because of our bodily nature this remains as hidden. To know God perfectly
would require for us to see him directly as we see each other, and even then we do not really know each other. But the
truth it is that the longer we live with our fellow seminarians the better we know them. The same thing happens with God,
the longer we spend time speaking with Him, the more we will know Him and the stronger the bond. It is said that we
cannot know God perfectly because our souls are impure and to see God they must be completely purified. When this
occurs, we will experience the ultimate pleasure, this will bring the satisfaction of every human desire, all sadness and
worries to an end.
Saint Tomas Aquinas says that we can achieve an imperfect happiness here on earth. And he does so saying that
mans ultimate happiness consist in the contemplation of truth and goes on to say that this desire to know truth is
specific to man. Also it is not directed do any other end since the contemplation of truth is sought for its own sake.
When we contemplate on truth, we are united to God because this is the only human operation that is carried out both by
God and by the Angels. Now all this is an imperfect knowledge of Truth, who is God will only occur in heaven when we
perceive God face to face. We know that because of our fallen nature at times we are drawn to worldly pleasures, but
never forgetting that we have an impulse that seeks God, or as some would say a greater being. Now to reach this
knowledge of god, we need to begin a purification by the practice of natural virtues the virtue of wisdom, courage,
moderation, justice, friendship, etc Without forgetting the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity because they will carry us
to our final end, which is God. When we wish to surprise our mother with a flower, we seek to give one that shows beauty
and aroma. We go looking until we find it. Now, with perfect happiness we must seek what is perfect, something we will
never find in other creatures, but God. This is due because of His Being, How we apply Good, Beautiful, Love.
Now there is a distinction to be made: enjoyment and happiness the first is concerning worldly goods and material
pleasures: but even all the possible enjoyments would not bring happiness. St. Thomas puts it in this words: when every
enjoyment is felt, the soul begins to crave for something more than mere enjoyment. But if one has no knowledge of this
something more or doesnt know how to go about finding it, the enjoyment turns to pain and suffering. While the later
one (happiness), which we see in the life of many Saints in their union with God as some would call it, or the Oneness
with God. Such is that is St. Thomas, who perhaps achieved a beatific vision of God, a vision that can be seen in all of his
words.
Now, through the intersection of Our Lady of Grace, let us ask the grace to seek this perfect knowledge of Truth, as to
reach Happiness and detachment from all worldly pleasures.