Happiness Month
December, the tenth month of the ancient but the twelfth of the modern calendar, is Happiness Month. For those following devoutly the Church Calendar, the month of December is a foretaste of heavenly bliss. Coming after the recognition of Christ as the Universal King and being numbered among the subjects of this eternal ruler, the inevitable and glorious outcome for the faithful followers is happiness unending. Yet even while the unknown final and longed-for moment is to come still, December remains the happiness month. The reason for happiness, in time and beyond time is the proximity of the divine and loving sovereign. The real king will reign forever in the kingdom of unparalleled joy. Believers already enjoy the assurance of that blissful union. Truly even now that joy is felt in time whenever the faithful reflect on the birth of the Son of God become man through the cooperation of the Most Holy Virgin.
Enduring and authentic delight stems from the vivid certainty that the Creator of all things and of everyone is with us. Those who recognize no provident source and look forward to no everlasting goal are satisfied with fleeting joys and live meaningless, purposeless existence. Enjoy yourself now for tomorrow everything ends! Such a way of living thinks not of final reckoning with the all-knowing Lord. Such life will not respect others’ rights and needs. Such self-centered life can only lead to endless dismay.
Great rejoicing is in the heart of those who recognize that the Almighty created each and everything reflecting His goodness, His truth (reality) and His splendor (beauty). Because we, creatures of this wonderful Being, reflect His goodness, truth and beauty, we admire Him in each one and in every creature. We can already see God in varying ways in each person and thing. The eyes of the heart see more than what is external and superficial. The more profound and lasting joy is seen from the depths and is more wonderful than the apparent. Living superficially does not provide true satisfaction. A deeper understanding of existence and life leads to the deepest contentment. “Out of the depths I cry out to you, O Lord.” (Psalm 130). We are in communion with the Holy One “in the depths.”
December is happiness month because many are aware that God descended from the heights of His glory into the depths of human misery. His only goal is to raise humanity from his lowliness to the highest of divine glory. God placed in every human being that eagerness to go beyond his lowly nature. It is a God-given characteristic of every human being to aim for the highest and the greatest, to become like God. That is God’s plan for humanity: To make us His sons and daughters. Unfortunately, people aim at greatness outside God’s plan. Man wants to be great but by setting God aside. Following the arrogant way of God’s enemy (Satan means the enemy of God), man ignores his origin and shapes his own goal irrespective of (not respecting) others, God most of all. That’s why the happiness of the Godless is brief and destructive.
The source of enduring happiness that December is noted for is the Child born in the poverty of Bethlehem. The blessed crowd who first recognized lasting joy is the simple shepherds. They were the most insignificant in the world of those times but they were privileged to see the wonders that moved the heavens and the earth to an untold delight. The three wise men represent the powerful, intelligent and influential who had traveled so long in humble search for the real king. For all kinds of people true enduring happiness is found in the December born Child Who is the gift from heaven to earth but three decades thence, would become earth’s gift to heaven. But from that night of two millennia ago, each child brings joy to every heart as a heavenly gift which should in years thereafter should turn into earth’s gift to heaven. The link between heaven and earth is the sign of unending bliss.
Why is there so much pain in today’s world? Is it not because the child is refused welcome in these times? Is it not because there is lessening of the divinely ordained link between the passing world and eternal life. Is it not because the descent of God to the human level is not appreciated and the ascent of man into divine heights is rendered mythical and illusory? Happiness is God’s promise to man. Man can obtain endless fulfillment only from God. Man’s pride and arrogance can lead only to bitterness and distress. The Happiness Month should make us understand where true lasting joy is to be found and eagerly seek the only true Source, the humble and loving Lord.
“The link between heaven and earth is the sign of unending bliss.
“Those who recognize no provident source and look forward to no everlasting goal are satisfied with fleeting joys and live.