UST THY1 | UNIT 2, Lesson A: Search for the True Happiness

[Worldviews/Trends In Achieving Happiness] The Three Worldly Trends In Achieving Happiness are:

1. Hedoism

2. Materialism/Consumerism

3. Eudaimonism

[Worldviews/Trends In Achieving Happiness] 1. Hedoism

• Hedonism teaches that seeking pleasure is the primary motivation of human behavior.

• For the hedonist, happiness is equated with pleasure, which ranges from physical exhilaration to the enjoyment of material things.

• They pursue physical pleasures as a way to satisfy inner longings, but in the end, these pleasures are fleeting and leave behind emptiness.

• This results in a repetitive cycle of chasing pleasure without ever finding a lasting remedy for human restlessness.

[Worldviews/Trends In Achieving Happiness] Examples of Hedoism

[Worldviews/Trends In Achieving Happiness] 2. Materialism/Consumerism

• Materialism asserts that material possession, success, and progress are the highest values in life, giving importance only to the material realm and rejecting intellectual and spiritual values.

• Consumerism, which stems from materialism, claims that personal well-being and happiness largely depend on the level of consumption, particularly through the purchase of material goods.

• Like hedonism, materialism bases happiness on material things, but this leads to dissatisfaction and an endless yearning for what is temporary and fleeting.

[Worldviews/Trends In Achieving Happiness] Examples of Materialism/Consumerism

[Worldviews/Trends In Achieving Happiness] 3. Eudaimonism

• Eudaimonism holds that the highest form of happiness is attained through the practice of virtues.

• For Aristotle, virtues are actions developed into good habits, and these habits allow a person to rise above passions and live in accordance with reason.

[Worldviews/Trends In Achieving Happiness] Examples of Eudaimonism

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] a. St. Thomas Aquinas on Happiness

• St. Thomas Aquinas explains that human beings possess reason and free will, enabling them to determine what is good and to choose freely the means to attain it.

• All actions are directed toward ends or goals, and the final end of all human action is happiness.

• Aquinas, agreeing with Aristotle, insists that even though people differ in their preferences, all human beings ultimately seek the same last end.

• St. Augustine also supports this idea by affirming that “all men agree in desiring the last end, which is happiness.”

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] a. St. Thomas Aquinas on Happiness

What is the concept of False Happiness?

• People act differently because they misunderstand what true happiness is.

• Aquinas lists false contenders for happiness such as wealth, power, honor, fame, and glory, which are only means and never bring complete satisfaction.

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] a. St. Thomas Aquinas on Happiness

Kinds of Good

• The Absolute Good, which is God, is the only object that fully satisfies the human will.

• Partial or apparent goods may be chosen by humans when the intellect mistakenly presents them as true goods due to a disordered will.

• This misjudgment of the intellect causes the will to settle for lesser goods, which leads to culpable choices.

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] a. St. Thomas Aquinas on Happiness

Two Kinds of Happiness

• Imperfect happiness can be experienced in earthly life.

• Perfect happiness is the beatific vision of God in heaven.

• St. Augustine captures this reality when he writes: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] b. Happiness in God as the Ultimate Goal

Happiness is closely tied to the meaning of life, and man’s restless search for truth shows his deep desire for the Absolute.

• Aquinas distinguishes rational beings from irrational ones by explaining that irrational creatures follow natural inclinations, while rational creatures act through intellect and free will.

• Since all human persons are oriented toward the good, their happiness depends on the proper ordering and pursuit of the goods of life.

• Disorder in this pursuit disrupts the balance of a person’s life and undermines happiness, as when material well-being is prioritized over the true purpose it is meant to serve.

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] b. Happiness in God as the Ultimate Goal

“In the depths of his heart there always remains a yearning for absolute truth and a thirst to attain full knowledge of it. This is eloquently proven by man's tireless search for knowledge in all fields.”

Who is this belief from?

Pope John Paul II

The pope’s general ideology: Man’s restless search for truth is fulfilled only in God.

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] b. Happiness in God as the Ultimate Goal

Augustine affirms that God alone satisfies, and the ___________ states that the desire for God is written in the human heart, so that only in Him can man find truth and happiness.

Catechism (CCC 27)

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] b. Happiness in God as the Ultimate Goal

What does Roman 12:2 wish to impart?

“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect”

Instead of conforming to worldly values, we must allow God to renew our minds so we can discern and live according to His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] c. God’s Commandments: Path to Eternal Life

St. John Paul II emphasizes that…

St. John Paul II emphasizes that God’s commandments reveal the path of life and lead to eternal life.

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] c. God’s Commandments: Path to Eternal Life

What is The Decalogue?

The Decalogue, moreover known as The Ten Commandments, highlights the dignity of the human person and expresses duties toward God, neighbor, and the world.

• The commandments safeguard essential aspects of human life such as the protection of life, fidelity in marriage, respect for property, truthfulness, and the preservation of one’s good name.

• Negative precepts such as “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” and “You shall not bear false witness” express the urgency of protecting human dignity.

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] d. The Beatitudes: Call to Perfection

What are the Beatitudes?

• The Beatitudes respond to the natural human desire for happiness, a desire that comes from God, who alone can fulfill it.

• They focus on internal dispositions and attitudes rather than external actions, complementing the commandments in directing human beings toward eternal life.

• The Beatitudes remind us that true happiness cannot be attained fully in this world but resides eternally in heaven.

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] d. The Beatitudes: Call to Perfection

What are the three (3) groups of the Beatitudes?

• First Group – Removing obstacles to true happiness

• Second Group – Serving others

• Third Group – Contemplative life

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] d. The Beatitudes: Call to Perfection

What does the first group of the Beatitudes indicate?

First Group – Removing obstacles to true happiness

• “Blessed are the poor in spirit” teaches detachment from riches and honors, rooted in humility.

• “Blessed are the meek” moderates human anger by keeping it under the guidance of reason.

• “Blessed are those who mourn” moderates the desire for pleasure by reminding us of suffering, loss, and trials.

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] d. The Beatitudes: Call to Perfection

What does the second group of the Beatitudes indicate?

Second Group – Serving others

• “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” emphasizes the duty to serve one’s neighbor in justice.

• “Blessed are the merciful” calls for generosity, forgiveness, and compassion that go beyond strict obligation.

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] d. The Beatitudes: Call to Perfection

What does the third group of the Beatitudes indicate?

Third Group – Contemplative life

• “Blessed are the pure of heart” refers to overcoming disordered passions and focusing entirely on God.

• “Blessed are the peacemakers” emphasizes harmony and justice in human relationships, echoing Isaiah’s teaching that “the work of justice shall be peace” (Is 32:17).

[God as the Ultimate Happiness of the Human Person] d. The Beatitudes: Call to Perfection

Old Testament and New Testament Comparison

• The Old Testament emphasizes external actions that must be followed.

• The New Testament emphasizes internal dispositions that must be cultivated.

What does this lecture aim to impart all in all?

• The Beatitudes, together with the commandments, form the way of life that enables a person to become morally good and attain true happiness in God.

• They remind us that everlasting happiness lies not in temporal goods but in God, the one true source of fulfillment.