Episode 3250: Not Happiness: But Joy, the Mark of a True Catholic

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Book Recommendation of the Day
St. Thomas Aquinas: Summa Theologica, II-II, Questions 28–35
• Aquinas devotes an entire section to joy, explaining it as the natural effect of charity (the love of God).
• He makes the crucial distinction: happiness (beatitudo) is perfect only in Heaven; joy is its foretaste here on earth through grace.
• This is one of the clearest theological treatments on why Catholics speak of joy rather than worldly happiness.
Not Happiness, But Joy: The Mark of a True Catholic
I was discussing a chapel project with several friends and I said this chapel needs to reflect a traditional Catholic chapel and not a penecostal chapel and they kind of looked at me and said “What does that mean?” The Protestantism entered the church after VII under the guise of the evangelical movement. Pentecostal spirituality comes from a Protestant origin in the early 1900s. Its theology is often man-centered, focusing on personal empowerment, healing, and prosperity, rather than on penance, sacrifice, and sanctification through suffering. Traditional Catholics see this as a drift toward practical Protestantism, which undermines the Catholic teaching that the way of the Cross, not worldly excitement, is the path to holiness.
I was speaking to Nancy about the songs they were teaching us in school right after Vatican II was released and they were poppy songs that we as kids would love to sing but in them they had a message whether we realized it or not. One of those songs was “We’ve Got Joy down in our Hearts”
Now what did they teach us?
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart,
Down in my heart, down in my heart.
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart,
Down in my heart to stay!
And I’m so happy, so very happy,
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.
And I’m so happy, so very happy,
I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart.
Did you know that was fromProtestant circles (especially Baptist, Evangelical, and Pentecostal children’s programs):
“I’ve Got the Joy of the Lord” (Catholic Version)
I’ve got the joy of the Lord deep in my heart,
Deep in my heart, yes, deep in my heart!
I’ve got the joy of the Lord deep in my heart,
Thanks be to Jesus, my King!
I’ve got the peace of the Cross deep in my soul,
Deep in my soul, yes, deep in my soul!
I’ve got the peace of the Cross deep in my soul,
Thanks be to Jesus, my King!
I’ve got the grace of the Mass here in my life,
Here in my life, yes, here in my life!
I’ve got the grace of the Mass here in my life,
Thanks be to Jesus, my King!
I’ve got the love of Our Lady guiding my way,
Guiding my way, yes, guiding my way!
I’ve got the love of Our Lady guiding my way,
Thanks be to Jesus, my King!
I’ve got the hope of Heaven filling my soul,
Filling my soul, yes, filling my soul!
I’ve got the hope of Heaven filling my soul,
Thanks be to Jesus, my King!
So you may say okay Walt I bite are you saying they intentionally taught us the protestant version as kids. Yep!
But I am not critiquing the music as much as the mindset.
Do we as Catholics seek Happiness or Joy?
Joy vs. Happiness
At this point, it is vital to distinguish joy from happiness.
• The English word happy comes from the Old Norse word hap, meaning chance or luck. From its origin, happiness has meant good fortune or favorable circumstances. It is tied to external events what “happens” to us. When circumstances change, happiness vanishes.
• Joy, however, comes from the Latin gaudium, meaning gladness of the soul. Joy is not based on luck or circumstances but flows from God. It is interior, supernatural, and eternal.
The saints understood this distinction well:
• St. Augustine: “True joy is not in outward things, but in God who is the truth.”
• St. Thomas Aquinas: Joy is the fruit of charity, rooted in the indwelling of the Holy Ghost.
• St. John Chrysostom: “The Christian is not distinguished by being free of troubles, but by bearing them joyfully.”
This is why Scripture never tells us to “be happy.” Instead, it commands:
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4).
Happiness is circumstantial. Joy is supernatural. The world offers happiness, but only Christ gives joy.
Well, when Our Lord preached to the crowds, He never promised them “happiness” in this life. He did not say, “Blessed are the comfortable, the wealthy, or the fortunate.” Instead, He spoke of joy a joy that springs from poverty of spirit, from mourning with hope, from persecution borne for His sake. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ gave us the Beatitudes, and none of them speak of earthly happiness. They speak instead of the deep, abiding joy that comes only from God.
This is why Catholics are called to radiate something far greater than fleeting smiles or shallow optimism. We are called to be the light of the world, as Our Lord said: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven” (Matt. 5:16). That light is not dimmed by trial, nor extinguished by suffering. It is the joy of Christ shining through us.
Too often today, the faith is presented as a burden, or we Catholics become known for what we oppose rather than what we radiate. Yet the saints teach us that a joyless faith is no faith at all. St. Teresa of Ávila once prayed: “God deliver us from gloomy saints.” If we who profess the fullness of Truth do so without joy, then we obscure the very light we are meant to carry into the world.
To be Catholic is to live in the joy of the Resurrection. It is to show by our demeanor, our words, and our very lives that Christ has conquered death, and that no power of this world can rob us of the hope we have in Him. We are not meant to be naysayers, dragging our heads in despair, but torchbearers radiating the joy of Christ in a darkened world.
The Catholic Difference
From the very beginnings of the Church, Christians were marked not merely by their doctrines, but by their joyful spirit. This joy shone all the more brightly in contrast to the pagan world, which often saw life as ruled by fate or fortune.
Even in the face of persecution, ridicule, and brutal suffering, the faithful radiated a peace and gladness that astonished their neighbors. Pagan observers asked: “What gives these Christians such serenity in the midst of trials?”
The Church Fathers testified to this mystery. St. Cyprian of Carthage declared:
“It is not for us to be sad when we know that Christ has conquered death. Our faith does not mourn, it rejoices.”
For Catholics, joy is not a luxury or a fleeting emotional high it is the mark of true faith, the sign that we live in the power of Christ’s Resurrection.
The Church Fathers on Joy
The Fathers of the Church understood joy as a supernatural reality, a fruit of divine life within the soul.
• St. John Chrysostom observed:
“It is not possible to find on earth a life free from tribulation. But he who rejoices in Christ triumphs over all things.”
Joy does not erase suffering; it makes us victorious in the midst of it.
• St. Augustine drew a sharp contrast between earthly pleasures and heavenly joy:
“True joy is not found in carnal pleasures or worldly honors, but in the truth which is God Himself.”
For Augustine, joy springs from union with Christ, the eternal Logos.
• St. Basil the Great wrote:
“The commandment of the Lord is not burdensome, but joyous. For in keeping them, we are set free.”
To Basil, obedience to God’s law does not restrict us it liberates us into joy.
The Fathers consistently saw joy not as an escape from reality, but as the soul’s rest in God’s truth and grace.
Segment 2: Saints Through the Ages on Joy
The saints carried this wisdom forward, embodying joy in every century.
• St. Thomas Aquinas taught that joy is born of love:
“Joy is caused by love, either through the presence of the thing loved, or through the hope of possessing it.”
Thus, joy is the fruit of charity and grows as our love for God deepens.
• St. Philip Neri, the “Apostle of Joy,” lived this truth in Rome. He reminded us:
“A joyful heart is more easily made perfect than a downcast one.”
His radiant cheerfulness attracted more souls to Christ than long arguments ever could.
• St. Francis of Assisi found “perfect joy” not in worldly comforts but in rejection, insults, and poverty endured for Christ:
“Perfect joy is when we embrace insults, rejection, and suffering for the love of Christ.”
• St. Teresa of Ávila cautioned against false sanctity without joy:
“God deliver us from gloomy saints!”
For her, joy was essential to holiness, not an optional ornament.
The saints remind us that joy is the language of sanctity, the song of souls in love with Christ.

Joy Rooted in the Cross
Catholic joy never denies the reality of suffering it transforms it.
• St. Paul himself wrote:
“I am filled with comfort; with all our affliction, I overflow with joy” (2 Cor. 7:4).
• St. Ignatius of Antioch, on his way to martyrdom in Rome, expressed joy as he anticipated death for Christ:
“Allow me to become the food of the beasts, through whom it will be granted me to attain unto God. My joy is to die for Him.”
For the saints, the Cross was never the end of joy but the seed from which joy blossomed. In uniting our suffering with Christ’s, sorrow is transfigured into hope and hope bursts forth into joy.
Mary, Cause of Our Joy
From the earliest centuries, the Fathers also pointed to Mary as the one through whom joy entered the world.
• St. Irenaeus called her “the cause of salvation for herself and the whole human race,” for through her fiat, the Word became flesh.
• The Church fittingly invokes her in the Litany of Loreto as the Cause of Our Joy. Every authentic Catholic joy passes through her, because she gave us Christ the source of all joy.
St. Louis de Montfort emphasized:
“Mary is the surest, easiest, shortest, and most perfect way of approaching Jesus.”
To be Marian is to be joyful, for Mary leads us to Christ, the joy of our souls.
Conclusion: A Joy That Draws Souls
From the Fathers to the saints, from the Cross to Our Lady, Catholics are not merely happy we are joyful.
• Our joy is not based on what happens to us but on Who dwells within us.
• It is not fleeting but eternal.
• It is not self-centered but God-centered.
When Catholics radiate this joy, the world notices. As Tertullian famously recorded of the pagans:
“See how these Christians love one another!”
In today’s cynical, restless, and weary age, what the world needs most is the radiant witness of Catholics whose joy is anchored in Christ and the hope of Heaven.
Segment 1: The Epistle — Ecclus. 31:8–11
"Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish, and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money, nor in treasures. Who is he, and we will praise him? For he hath done wonderful things in his life. Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting."
The Epistle reminds us that material wealth is not in itself evil, but it becomes a snare when it leads to greed, pride, or misplaced trust. Holy Scripture here praises the man who, though blessed with riches, does not cling to them. This is a rare thing so rare that the sacred writer asks, “Who is he?”
The Church Fathers often pointed to detachment as a higher virtue than poverty itself. To renounce wealth when you never had it may come easily; but to hold wealth and not allow it to rule your soul is the mark of true sanctity.
In our modern world, where money so easily becomes an idol, this Epistle calls us to remember that riches are tools, not gods. Wealth may be used for almsgiving, for supporting the Church, and for relieving the poor. But it must never be clung to as the source of our security. For as St. Paul tells us, “We brought nothing into this world, and certainly we can carry nothing out.”
Segment 2: The Gospel — Luke 12:35–40
"Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands. And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding: that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately."
Here Our Lord gives us the image of servants waiting for their master’s return. Their lamps are lit, their garments girded they are not sleeping, but watchful.
This is the posture of the Christian life: vigilance, readiness, and joyful expectation. Christ does not tell us the hour He will come, whether at evening, midnight, or cockcrow. The uncertainty is the very point. If we knew, we might delay repentance, indulge in worldliness, or presume upon God’s mercy. But because the hour is hidden, we must live every day as though the Master will return this very night.
How do we keep our lamps burning? Through the life of grace frequent confession, Holy Communion, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and fidelity to the duties of our state in life. The lamp of faith must be fed with the oil of charity and the flame of perseverance.
St. Augustine reminds us that when the Bridegroom comes, those without oil the foolish virgins will find the door shut. The warning is severe, but it is also merciful: Christ teaches us now, so that we may not be found unready later.
The Feast of St. Edward the Confessor
Today the Church also commemorates St. Edward the Confessor, King of England in the 11th century. Though a monarch with great authority, Edward lived with humility and simplicity, earning the title “Confessor” because his holiness radiated in his life, even outside of martyrdom.
He used his wealth not for personal glory, but for the Church and the poor. Westminster Abbey, which he founded, stands as a witness to his devotion to God. Edward’s reign was marked by peace, justice, and fidelity to Christ’s law, a rare blessing in a time often torn by violence and intrigue.
He is, in a sense, a living example of the Epistle reading. Though rich and powerful, he was without blemish, uncorrupted by greed. And he is also a model of the Gospel lesson: a king who kept his lamp burning through prayer, works of mercy, and constant readiness for the Lord’s call.
Conclusion
The readings and feast converge into one unified call:
• From Ecclesiasticus: do not cling to riches, but be detached.
• From the Gospel: keep your lamp burning, ever watchful.
• From St. Edward: live as one who possesses power and wealth, yet is not possessed by them, remaining faithful until the end.
For us, whether rich or poor, in positions of influence or hidden lives, the message is the same: Christ will return. Blessed are those who are ready.
Closing Prayer
Let us conclude with prayer:
O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast commanded us to watch and pray, grant us the grace to live each day in readiness for Thy coming. May our lamps be ever burning with the oil of charity, our souls free from attachment to earthly riches, and our hearts fixed on Thy eternal kingdom. Through the intercession of St. Edward the Confessor, help us to use the goods of this world for the glory of God and the relief of our neighbor. Keep us steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and constant in love, so that when Thou dost come, we may open to Thee with glad hearts and enter into Thy heavenly banquet.
Amen.