WE HAVE MOVED!

"And I beheld, and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven,
saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth....
[Apocalypse (Revelation) 8:13]

Monday, July 10, 2017

The Pursuit of Happiness?



The Pursuit of Happiness?
By: Eric Gajewski
 'Therefore God says to this proud man: If thou seekest, according to the nature of the created soul, for such great things as seem at present to be good and for that happiness which belongs to earth, know that they are not, they cannot satisfy nor afford contentment seek rather in heaven, where pride is lawful, and where it is not placed in things empty and vain, but in those which are really great, which always remain and which cause a sinless pride; but if thou seekest after worthless things thou shalt never find them and shalt lost those which thou shouldst have sought.' St. Catherine of Genoa

In Masonic America we are told to pursue our own happiness.  We are told to go out and live the American dream.  This is in no way is the gospel of Christ.  Were we put on this earth to make ourselves happy or to make Him happy from whence in return He shall make us happy?  At least we are told in America that “we can pursue happiness”.  This would allow for us to pursue the true God and Faith and yet it still keeps the doors open to "self".  Do you make yourself happy by sending yourself a gift on your birthday or do you not derive happiness by giving something to your Lover?  It is no different in the spiritual life and since it is the only true life, the life of the one to come, the one which is already within, we might as well begin to live this way now.  It is true by pleasing yourself here in this life you will live with a smile but the end result is our soul being condemned to everlasting Fire.  You cannot find happiness in this world but only in God who is within and will be revealed in the end.



There are so many who go to and from thinking they are free and happy simply because they have no stress or adversity and this is because they do not truly know themselves.  If they would go within just periodically during the day and see themselves as they truly are before God they would become frightened.  This is why so many stay on the surface with a smile going from one distraction to the next pursuing self’s happiness because they equate a stress-free life with holiness or "I'm okay with God".  As long as I know God suffered for me this is sufficient they say.  They only fool themselves.  St Teresa sums this well.  Happiness does not stem from keeping “the self” happy.  'Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end.'  St. Teresa of Jesus



Trials, Test and tribulations.  Happiness to be found on the Cross?  It was Christ Who was on the Cross Who is Love, therefore, true liberty and happiness is to be found there.  Happiness is not even good health for that matter.  Health comes and goes like the seasons of the year.  Modern man invents new ways to keep “the ego and self” supported all the while keeping himself from the Cross.  The closer we get to the Heart of Christ the more we realize just how important reparation is.  The more we see within the inner eye this Man of Sorrows.  I will never understand it on the human nature level.  Yet we should not dig too deep as to understanding why God would want us suffer.  We should just love and keep peace.  Love suffers.  The more we suffer the closer we get to Christ and the more we have Christ the happier we are.  Christ associates Himself with those who suffer not those who get their own way and keep themselves distracted on the surface with worldly desires and pleasures.  'Happy the heart that keeps itself on the cross, in the arms of the Well-Beloved, and that burns only with divine love!'  St. Paul of the Cross Happiness is not to be found in the ability to travel the world but it remains in Christ’s simplicity.  I have my room, some books and a nearby chapel. That is complete happiness.' St. Miguel of Ecuador


Happiness is to do the Will of God not our own.  If we lived in a Catholic country it would be stated as such.  Hell is for those who were “happy” yet pursued their own will.  The damned are not very happy now in the Abyss so don’t be deceived by those who seem to live care free and who have no desire to ever do violence to the self.  The Saint of the Sacred Heart speaks.  'It seems to me that the happiness of a soul consists entirely in conforming to the most adorable Will of God; for in so doing the heart finds peace and the spirit joy and repose, since he "who is joined to the Lord in one spirit" with Him. (1 Cor. 6:17).'  St. Margaret Mary Alacoque  God makes us happy not the world.  The clothes a man buys does not make him happy yet if we are clothed in Christ we are happy down to our very core in the soul.  The man who finds happiness in any other thing outside God only deceives himself.  I am convinced I am not put here to be happy (as the world would say) but only am kept alive to keep Him happy.  The Bridegroom will continue to look for Victims of His Heart to carry out His Plan.  To be a victim of God is to be a victim of happiness even on a bed of suffering. 'Now although man is created for the possession of happiness, yet, having deviated from his true end, his nature has become deformed and is entirely repugnant to true beatitude. And on this account we are forced to submit to God this depraved nature of ours which fills our understanding with so many occupations, and causes us to deviate from the true path, in order that he may entirely consume it until nothing remains there but himself; otherwise the soul could never attain stability nor repose, for she was created for no other end.'  St. Catherine of Genoa


Enjoyment over the Cross.  In the book “Way of Divine Love” Our Lord tells Sister Menendez to suffer for those consecrated souls who once enjoyed His Heart but who now fled for the world and its enjoyments.  Clearly another indication of how important it is to keep guard over the movements of our own heart.  More so, it shows how you cannot enjoy this life and the next.  Our Lord stated in this book that His way was the Cross and suffering.  It was not enjoyment.  This may be difficult to absorb at first for the self will protest but it is a spiritual reality.  Christ ends by saying that only Love can give them to strength to follow in His footsteps.  We must turn from self and keep focus on His Sacred Heart for there is much violence which must be done to our own disorderly affections and unruly passions if we are ever to find true and everlasting peace within.  There are many probably saying why does God keep me alive if all I do is suffer?  The answer is quite clear He keeps you alive that you might please and comfort Him…..yes most especially in your suffering.  You do not realize the good you are doing for God, neighbor and your own soul.  There is no free admission to heaven for the price of the ticket was bought by Christ but we can only enter via the same Cross that He left behind.  May God give us all the strength to follow in His path for there is no other way.

Royal Road of the Cross: On the Advantages of Tribulations