Church Talk: True happiness lies beyond the material

By focusing on faith and fearing God’s judgment, we can avoid prioritising worldly possessions and lead a more meaningful life, writes Bishop Reynaldo Bunyi Getalado msp of the Catholic Church.

We have an SVD priest by the name of Father Pizzaro. In one of our recollections, he told us the story of a human skull in his study table. He kept looking at the human skull and meditate what is the meaning of that human skull to him. One day he said to us, as if the human skull is talking to him. The human skull said to him “You know Pizzaro yesterday I was just like you. I have flesh and blood, active and healthy. Now I am, a skull. And tomorrow Pizzaro you will be like me”. These dialogue with the skull helps him to know what is essential in life and tamed his ambition to be somebody. It helps him to humble himself and check his pride.

Allow me to share some points that will help us to live a life worthy of being Christians.

1. What is essential in life is invisible to the eyes. In this consumeristic world, we are bombarded by all sorts of advertisements that we should have these products in order to be happy and successful. And the products should be branded. It manipulates us that having these products will makes us happy and fulfilled. And that they are essential part of our lives, as if we are less human if we don’t have them. But what is essential and most important part of our life is FAITH. Faith is not fully accessible to the human eye and it requires the illumination of the Holy Spirit and guidance of the Church. Faith is a gift from God. Through this gift of faith, it gives meaning to our life. It gives answer to the fundamental question of the meaning of life and its destiny. How could we enjoy life if we don’t know the meaning of life. A billionaire and politician from Thailand were asked by a reporter, now that you are successful, for you what is essential in life? He said family. The relationships and harmony within his family and extended family play an important role in his happiness.

• By meditating on the human skull, we are able to prioritise what is important in life. A successful business man was diagnosed with cancer. He had only six months to live. He said to himself, what will I do. He made a checklist of what he wanted to do. From many activities he chose one. He decided to do charitable works. He volunteered in feeding programme. After several weeks, he said, if I have done this charitable mission before then I would have a meaningful life. Meditation on human skull open our eyes to see and prioritise what is essential in life. We shall prioritise eternal, spiritual treasures over temporal, earthly possessions. In this consumeristic world we tend to overemphasise the material world as the highest good over spiritual treasure. At the end of the day, we are all the same, six feet under the ground whether we are billionaire or just simple man. Jesus reminds us in the sermon on the mount: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Mt. 6:19-21). We should be accumulating treasures in heaven rather than earthly riches that are short-lived. While we are on this earth, we ask, what counts for me in life? Where am I making my investments? Choices are between living for earthly gain or giving to gain heavenly rewards. Also, Jesus teaches man not to be enslaved by power and money and that gaining the whole world is not the purpose of our life. We must set our hearts on heavenly treasure that are imperishable.

• Other fruits in meditating the human skull, is we developed the fear of the Lord. In Ecclesiasticus 1:16 it says, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This profound insight is found throughout the scriptures, particularly in the Old Testament Wisdom literature. This fear of the Lord is not a servile fear, but a profound reverence and awe before the majesty and holiness of God. As Pope Francis said, it is not that God frightens me, no, but a respect, indispensable condition for accepting the gift of Wisdom. This fear of the Lord is the foundation upon which true wisdom is built, for it orients the human person towards God, the source of all wisdom and understanding. This reverence fear of the Lord leads one to a deeper knowledge of God and His ways, and inspires a life of humble, obedience and trust. The Book of Proverbs reinforces this teaching stating that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Knowledge and understanding flow from the right relationship with the Lord, one marked by awe, reverence, and submission to His will. As late Pope John Paul II affirmed, faith liberates reason in so far as it allows reason to attain correctly what it seeks to know and to place it within the ultimate order of things, in which everything acquires true meaning. In summary, the fear of the Lord is not a burden, but a gift of the Holy Spirit that frees the human person to embrace God’s wisdom and live accordingly. As Pope Francis stated, this gift does not make of us Christians who are shy and submissive, but stirs in us courage and strength. It is a gift that makes of us Christians who are convinced, enthusiastic, who aren’t submissive to the Lord out of fear but because we are moved and conquered by His love. Equipped by the gift of wisdom from God and submission to the will of God we developed a strong character to resist the temptation in our daily life. That pride will not bring anything good for us. It’s only a vitamin for our ego. Infidelity will hurt our good standing with God. Jealousy will just destroy our good relationship with one another and will not contribute to our spiritual growth. Always be at peace with God.