Perfect happiness
Topic: Joy & Happiness
Happiness is the attainment of the perfect good. Now since happiness is a perfect and sufficient good, it excludes every evil, and fulfills every desire. But this is not to be found in any creature, but in God alone. For every creature has goodness by participation. Therefore, God alone can satisfy the will of man.
Thomas Aquinas, born into a noble family in Roccasecca, Italy, was a renowned Dominican friar, Catholic priest, and Doctor of the Church. As an Italian Dominican, he was profoundly influential in the tradition of scholasticism, earning the titles of Doctor Angelicus and Doctor Communis. His academic journey began at the University of Naples, where he first encountered Aristotle's works that would greatly shape his future philosophical and theological perspectives. Inspired by these ideas, Aquinas joined the Dominican Order, a religious community founded by Saint Dominic dedicated to preaching and teaching.
Aquinas later traveled to Paris to pursue further studies at the prestigious University of Paris, becoming a student of Albert the Great. As a distinguished scholar and theologian, Albert the Great imparted invaluable insights that significantly influenced Aquinas's development. After concluding his studies in Paris, Aquinas returned to Italy, imparting his knowledge as a lecturer at the University of Naples and the University of Rome. In addition to his educational pursuits, he served as an advisor to the Pope, strengthening his bond with the Church.
Throughout his career, Aquinas penned numerous works, the most notable being the Summa Theologica. This extensive treatise synthesized Christian theology and philosophy, segmented into three parts that discuss God, man, and the Christian life respectively. This work, among others, solidified Aquinas's substantial impact on Catholicism, providing defensible arguments against challenges from other religious traditions and contributing significantly to the development of Catholic doctrine. The philosophy and theology of Aquinas, known as Thomism, remains influential in contemporary Catholic thought. Predicated on the reconciliation of faith and reason, Thomism has evolved with scholars like John of St. Thomas, Francisco Suarez, and Jacques Maritain further refining its principles. Its application extends beyond theology, influencing fields such as philosophy, law, economics, and facilitating dialogue between religion and science.
Summa Theologica
Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica, Prima Secundae Partis, Q. 2, Art. 7. Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province, Benziger Bros., 1947. [Summa Theologica, I-II, Q. 2, Art. 7.]
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Theme: Happiness and Well-being
About This Thomas Aquinas Quotation [Commentary]
Thomas Aquinas defines happiness as “the attainment of the perfect good,” suggesting that true happiness lies in a state of complete fulfillment, free from unmet desires or limitations. He argues that this perfect good cannot be found in any created being or material possession, as they are finite and thus unable to fully satisfy the human soul. Instead, only God, as the ultimate source of goodness, can provide the complete fulfillment human beings seek. For Aquinas, happiness is not merely psychological or physical; it is a relational state, grounded in a connection to something beyond temporal satisfactions.
Aquinas views earthly goods as limited and unable to provide lasting happiness, though they may bring temporary pleasure or satisfaction. He suggests that created things only partially reflect divine goodness, and thus can offer only partial fulfillment. His perspective does not dismiss worldly joys but reorients them toward a higher source. By placing happiness beyond the immediate and finite, Aquinas encourages a focus on a deeper, enduring fulfillment that transcends material desires.
Central to Aquinas’s philosophy is the belief that only God fulfills every desire and completes human well-being. He aligns happiness with the “beatific vision”—the soul’s ultimate communion with God, which satisfies all longing. This divine union, according to Aquinas, is the only source of true and lasting happiness. His understanding of happiness reminds us that well-being goes beyond momentary contentment to a more profound alignment with the eternal source of all goodness.
Additional Thomas Aquinas Quotations About Happiness
“Man is not perfectly happy, so long as something remains for him to desire and seek.”
—Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica, Prima Secundae Partis, Q. 3, Art. 8. Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province, Benziger Bros., 1947.
[Of course this meaning includes women! – AD]
“Perfect happiness can consist in nothing else than the vision of the Divine Essence.”
I–II, q. 3, art. 8 co
—Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica: What is happiness (Prima Secundae Partis, Q. 3, a. 8)”. www.newadvent.org.
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