Scottish Catholic Observer

The Holy Father’s message, highlighted on the front page of this newspaper, that happiness can only be found in God, not money, is one we would all do well to heed this week. One of the most pernicious aspects of the secular culture in which we live is the ever-present materialism that creeps into every corner of our lives. It is hard not to believe that more money would improve our lives so intently and continuously when we are bombarded with messages designed to convince us that our lives are in states of ruinous poverty because we lack the latest car or gadget.

All of us at times fall into this trap.  We desire things because they are beautiful or delicious and convince ourselves that if we only had more money we could obtain all those desirable and wonderful things and in doing so achieve happiness.

But that is not how happiness works. It is also not how wealth works. There are 73 billionaires living in the UK. Only two of them, inventor James Dyson and author JK Rowling pay a rate of tax remotely comparable with the rest of the UK population. The other 71, through complex loopholes and dodges, pay far, far less. All of them have more money than they could ever spend. A billion pounds is a barely comprehendible amount of money. Yet still they desire more.

This clearly illustrates that money does not satisfy. It is never enough. It cannot make us happy. True happiness can only be found through God and Faith.

Indeed, such wealth can corrupt the heart, yet, as the Pope said last Sunday, God can overcome that too.

“God can conquer the heart of a person who has many possessions and move him to solidarity and sharing with the needy, with the poor, to enter into the logic of the gift,” he said. “The Church’s history is full of examples of rich people who used their possessions in an evangelical way, achieving sanctity. We need only think of St Francis, St Elizabeth or St Charles Borromeo.”

As we think about the Year of Faith and New Evangelisation, we must realise it cannot be separated out from the rest of our lives. Faith does not exist in its own box, alongside boxes for career, family, friends, and romance. It must be in every part of us. And we should turn to Faith when we face the pressure of consumerism pressing down upon us, urging us to buy the latest goods and services.  No toy or gadget no matter how expensive can lead you to goodness and happiness. Only Faith and Love in the Lord can do that.