Sophia Whitesel

Mr. Bayardi

CHS Religion IV

16 October 2017

Quarter 1 Reflection Paper

In the document What Makes Life Happy, the major themes are love, happiness, and how

people can obtain this happiness. God is happiness. He is the way, the truth, and the light which

will bring us to everlasting and eternal happiness. When we seek happiness, we are seeking God

and an eternal life with him. The happiness that we will obtain from God is a permanent

happiness, the happiness that we obtain from material items is temporary. Temporary happiness

still leaves people feeling empty, or as though something is missing. This is why, as Christians,

we must evangelize and bring others to Christ, so that one day they may also celebrate

everlasting life and happiness.

Man is called to love, as it is part of human nature. St. Augustine said that the longing for

happiness is written in our hearts. God gave us all the greatest act of love by sacrificing His son

Jesus Christ, so that we may all have salvation. The document states “The door to happiness

opens only with the key of the cross.” John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world that he

gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

That is the goal for everyone at the end of our time on earth. We are all called to be holy and live

a life of happiness so that we may receive eternal happiness with God in Heaven.

Happiness is self-giving, or a choice. Although everyone has the same call to holiness,

God does not force us to make the right decisions or follow Him. He gave us human reason or
intellect and a conscience. It is our responsibility to use these gifts in order to make the right

decisions. We must choose God, if we do we will be happy. Everyday, before my dad goes to

work in the morning he blesses my family and tells, “Do everything for Jesus and have joy in

your heart.” If every decision, choice, and action that a person makes a day is done for God, they

will be filled with joy. We also must choose to forgive. Without forgiveness we will never be

happy. In The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, the master of a servant is unwilling to forgive

and Peter asks Jesus how many times we should offer others our forgiveness. Jesus replies by

saying, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (MT 8:22). In other words, we

must always forgive, it is essential to our happiness. God always offers us forgiveness, but again

it is our choice if we want him forgiveness. If we want to be forgiven, all we have to do is ask.

We can develop out love for God in the Church and through charity and service. Some

people are born into the Catholic faith, other know of it or are a part of it buy loose their way. We

are called to spread the word of God and his happiness to people that have stayed away from the

church. Preaching the Good News to others will not only strengthen our relationship with God

but will help other to know Him and encourage them to improve their relationship with Him and

well. We should also use the beatitudes to spread God’s love. If we treat everyone with the same

dignity and respect as Jesus did, we would be showing them love. We are called to see Jesus in

all of those that are in need, by showing them kindness, we are showing that same kindness to

Him. This ties in with our duty to care and concern for the common good, the document claims

that this demands three primary elements, “respect for the individual, social welfare, along with

peace and security.” From personal experience, I can attest to the fact that service will bring

happiness. While preforming volunteer hours I can see the effect that my work has on those that I
am helping. It is beautiful to see their happiness and know that God is using me as an instrument

to share is love.

God first showed us love through creation. He did not need us or our love, but we need

His and are nothing without Him. The Catechism describes Christ as the head and the church as

the body. An everyday example of this relationship would be a car and an engine. The car model,

like the church, is the body. The body is for the church members to gather on their journey to

heaven. The engine, like the head, is God. He gives us the power and graces we need to get to

heaven. Without the body, car model, or the head, engine, the car itself is incomplete. Both must

work in harmony. Even when we get lost, in navigation, God never leaves us. God is will us

through every mile of the journey. When we hit obstacles, sometimes we think that He has

abandon us. He is the one that helps us back onto our route to holiness.

Although those who do not know God may think they have obtained happiness, they will

feel as though something is missing. There are some people that are blessing with so many things

and material items that they do not need, and they think it will give them happiness. What these

people are searching for is not the happiness of God, but our personal happiness, which will not

feed out souls. God is the only one who can grant us everlasting love. This is why we must

spread the word and love of God to others, so that all may know Him and His love. Love,

however does come with consequences, and we are called to over come them with faith, so that

we may be eternally rewarded. This challenge of “taking up our cross” is something everyone is

faced with at some point in one’s life, tests our faith and makes us yearn for God.

Overall, the passage contained the messages to spread God’s love, actively seek not for

your happiness but God’s love, follow the Will of God, and do not lose sight of him amidst

obstacles. He will always be there for us, however it is our responsibility to seek Him out.