FEAST OF ALL SAINTS
NOVEMBER 1, 2015
Everyone wants to be happy in life. And happiness is defined in many different ways. For some it is in acquiring certain possessions; for others it is in a successful career; others look for happiness in relationships and in family life. As we age and have accomplished many of our goals, we still look for more to make us happy. Why is happiness so elusive?
In the Sermon on the Mount in today’s gospel reading, Jesus defines blessedness or happiness in a very different sort of way. He says happy are those who are poor, who mourn, who are hungry and thirsty; those who are persecuted. Jesus uses examples from peoples’ lives that are traditionally seen as causing pain and suffering not happiness. So What is Jesus saying? He’s saying that we find happiness in our lives as they are, not in what should be or could be. Happiness is not a fleeting emotion or passing fancy. It is found in a sense of contentment that with God at our side, all things work together for the good.
There’s a saying that’s been around for a long time which tells us to bloom where we are planted. Wherever we find ourselves on this journey of life, we can blossom, we can flourish, we can find that contentment that brings about true happiness. Happiness is from within, not without.
This weekend we celebrate the Feast of All Saints. And while we can look at the various ways that these men and women made their mark on Christianity over the centuries, what their common denominator really is is that they found their happiness, their contentment in their faith and in their relationship with God.
Searching for that true happiness is a life long quest. God has placed that longing and yearning in our hearts that we might seek Him all of our days. Our world teaches us to look for happiness all around us. But our faith teaches us to look within and to discover the treasures God has in store for us. In that way we will discover that happiness is not elusive but rather it is rooted in the meaning and hope our faith brings into our lives. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.