In July of 1776, 57 men who believed in our intrinsic human right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness signed the Declaration of Independence. That has been the American credo ever since. Our very presence here suggests that we have life and liberty, but have we found happiness?
If not, then perhaps we need to first consider what happiness is. Many people associate happiness with pleasure and having what they desire, yet psychologists tell us happiness cannot be purchased. The Oxford Dictionary defines happiness as “deep pleasure in, or contentment with, one’s circumstances.” In other words, the poorest person in our community could be quite happy while the richest person could be very unhappy in spite of his or her wealth. In the gospel, Jesus shares with us the Beatitudes as his blueprint for finding happiness. They are among the most beloved and famous lines in scripture. These lines provide us with the heart of his preaching. As beautiful as they sound, few us give much thought to what these lines really mean, turning them into a set of ethical rules, instead of seeing them as love in action; an invitation to show love to all whose path we cross.
A liturgist made an observation that the beatitudes are like National Geographic magazines. Many people subscribe to this appealing, colorful and interesting monthly publication. The latest issue is flipped through; its attractive photos are admired, and perhaps the newest map is unfolded. But when the next issue arrives, the month old copy gets put aside, eventually destined to join the rest of the family collection that is stored in the garage, the attic or the basement. The pile of yellow-spined magazines grows but remains largely unread and rarely consulted.
We treat the Beatitudes like that. They are appealing and colorful statements of basic Christian spirituality, considered by many to be the finest sermon Jesus ever gave. For the most part, though, they are stored in the Christian “attic,” often ignored and rarely consulted. Even when Jesus first shared them, the beatitudes were considered a stark contrast to the conventional wisdom of his times.
The Beatitudes confront us with decisive moral choices. They urge us to seek God above all else, teaching us that true happiness is not found in riches or well-being; in fame or power, or in human achievement, but in God alone, who is the source of every good and of all love.
Jesus assures us that we can be happy even in the midst of afflictions. Blessed are those who can say, “I need help. I cannot handle the issues of life alone,” for that person now realizes how much we need God in our lives.
Blessed are those who can say, “ I am hurting but I will bounce back.” Sorrow and pain are part of everyone’s life but instead of allowing them to defeat us, we can with God’s help finds a way to turn our scars into stars.
Blessed are those who see the need to remain calm, kind and collected. Meekness is not to be equated with weakness but with a blend of gentleness, courage and strength.
Blessed are those who really yearn to do what is right. A teacher of ethics once told his students that God placed the Ten Commandments in our hearts so even if we don’t know them word for word, we instinctively know what is right and what is wrong. We achieve happiness when we do what God tells us deep down is the right thing to do.
Blessed are those who can honestly say, “I am going to treat others the way I want them to treat me.” We stand in need of affirmation, yet we are also challenged to show compassion, forgiveness and understanding to others and when we do, happiness is apt to be the outcome.
Blessed are those who see the good in every person they meet for that is a critical step toward finding peace.
Blessed are those who can say, “I am going to be happy anyway.” Problems and pains are part and parcel of our pilgrimage of life but what matters is that we recognize our dependence on Christ. The Rev. William Barclay once said, “The one who is poor in spirit is the one who has realized that things mean nothing and God means everything.”
One man who understood and lived the Beatitudes was Tom Dooley. Now that’s a name you likely haven’t heard in ages. He enlisted in the navy after graduating from medical school. The big day of his life came one hot summer afternoon off the coast of Vietnam when his ship rescued 1000 refugees who were drifting at sea. Since Dooley was the only doctor on board, he had the job of giving medical help alone to these people. He was amazed to discover how far a little medicine could go. He wrote, “Hours later, I stopped a moment to straighten my shoulders and made another discovery…the biggest of my life. I was happy treating these people…happier than I had ever been before.”
Dooley learned that day what the poor in spirit have known all along. When we pursue a life filled with virtue, with Jesus as our mentor, then we will be successful in our pursuit of happiness.