NEEDED IS FAITH

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              This thinking leads inexorably to a world of emptiness, loneliness, and sadness seeking solutions in all the wrong places. 

               There is much suffering in this world with most concealing this suffering, pushing it back, living in the present using the glitter of the world to bring them happiness. 

                But old age sets in, with much more, often not good, for all people, rich and poor. Then the day comes when the glitter ceases to shine with comfort seeking solitude in medication, alcohol, drugs and worse, the false gods of the world, the therapists.

              All seek happiness, a difficult search this is, searching in the wrong places. This never-ending seeking for happiness is the problem addressed in these words. This is the problem man faces today, having faced it yesterday and no doubt tomorrow, struggling to smile. 

             THE SOLUTION is in defining what is it that “Preserve(s) and protect(s) whatever gives us happiness” causing this problem of man to flee, to become a memory of how life once was. What is it that gives happiness?

             We are physical and spiritual beings. Living as if these two beings are unrelated leads to calamity (The Solution) necessitating a spiritual foundation to be part of life just as food and drink, the physical, are part of life. 

             Theology and community are one even if we do not see it this way but not seeing it this way makes for a life of emptiness, loneliness and unhappiness.

              The words, “Increasing the store of goods acquired by honest and fair means (physically and spiritually)…used in the service of humanity…with a life dedicated to principle…(and) humanitarian work…” (The Holy Vedas) address our duty to define The Solution, the second step on the road to happiness.

              This same store of goods contains true knowledge and all sciences. Utilizing this store gives us a life of elevating deeds meeting our duty to our neighbor.

              The Solution to The Problem begins with acknowledging man has one goal, that is to be happy. Further acknowledging is necessary in seeing man is composed of faculties from the physical, the intellect, the emotional, to the spiritual. To live by compartmentalizing these faculties as if unrelated to each other is foolish. Not seeing and honoring these Pillars of Man leads to physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual starvation.

                Pope Francis wrote of this Solution to The Problem giving us A Call to Action writing, 

“Rivers do not drink their own water, trees do not eat their own fruit, the Sun does not shine on itself, flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves. Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other, no matter how difficult it is…Life is good when you are happy but much better when others are happy because of you.”

                 An agenda of faith, a religious agenda, consistent with this thinking is to be formed traveling out into the community furthering man’s quest for happiness, requiring the religious agenda to merge with the political agenda. 

                  Praying for a child to live and not die from starvation, from the bullet, makes no sense without taking that prayer and making it part of daily life, making a faith-based agenda a thing of habit of everyday living.

                This habit of everyday living is to be the path of virtue where the focus is the performance of noble deeds, inspirating the wicked with noble thought, rooting out the tendencies of the wicked, the unsympathetic, the disturbers of peace, and the uncharitable exploiters of humanity. A truthful life such as this commands the attainment of prosperity, common to all. This gives us A Call to Action.