AND WELCOME TO FR SPITZER'S UNIVERSE AT THE
INTERSECTION OF FAITH AND REASON. I'M DOUG KECK, THIS IS OUR THIRD EPISODE OF
FR SPITZER'S UNIVERSE SPECIAL WE'VE BEEN DOING EACH MONTH, AND NEXT MONTH WE GO WEEKLY, IN
MARCH, SO LOOK FOR THAT AS THE SHOW GOES WEEKLY. JUST A REMINDER THAT THE MAGIS CENTER WEBSITE
IS MAGISCENTER.COM - AND NOW WE TURN TO THE ONE AND ONLY FR SPITZER. FR SPITZER, GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN, THIS MONTH. FR SPITZER: OH, GREAT TO SEE YOU, TOO, DOUG. [LAUGHS]
DOUG: AND IF WE.. FATHER: HAPPY ST BLAISE FEAST DAY. DOUG: EXACTLY, WE NEED ST BLAISE TO PRAY FOR
US AND KEEP OUR THROATS CLEAR DURING THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM AND HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE
WATCHING THE PROGRAM WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH US THROUGH OUR FACEBOOK, EWTN'S FACEBOOK,
AND ALSO EMAIL US WITH SOME QUESTIONS SO THAT WE CAN SHOW EVERYBODY HERE THAT THIS IS A
SHOW THAT NEEDS TO BE ON WEEKLY STARTING NEXT MONTH HERE ON EWTN. YOU CAN GET US AT TWITTER.COM/EWTN, WE TAKE
ALL THOSE QUESTIONS. OKAY, THAT'D BE GREAT, AND THERE'S SOME HASHTAG
INFORMATION AS WELL, WE'LL PUT ON THE SCREEN FOR YOU AND YOU CAN LOOK FOR THAT. YOU KNOW FATHER, ONE OF THE TOPICS WE WANTED
TO TALK ABOUT THIS MONTH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT ATHEISM, THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TIES INTO THAT
IS THE IDEA OF HUMAN HAPPINESS, AND YOU TALK ABOUT THAT IN ONE OF YOUR BOOKS, AND WE THOUGHT
AS A LITTLE CHANGE OF PACE, WE'D TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF HAPPINESS. >> AND BEFORE WE GET INTO
TALKING ABOUT THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT
TO OUR AUDIENCE IS A NEW BOOK THAT MOTHER ANGELICA PUT OUT,
"PRAYING WITH MOTHER ANGELICA: MEDITATIONS AND OTHER PRAYERS. "AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW
IMPORTANT MOTHER HAS BEEN IN MANY PEOPLE'S SPIRITUAL LIVES IN
BRINGING THEM SOME SORT OF SPIRITUAL HAPPINESS IN A
POSITIVE WAY AND CERTAINLY PRAYER AS YOU WRITE IN YOUR BOOK
PLAYS A BIG PART AS WELL, THAT TRANSCENDENT ASPECT. WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME AWARE
OF MOTHER ANGELICA AND HOW DID SHE IMPACT YOU? >> I JUST COMPLETE YOU MY
THEOLOGICAL STUDIES IN ROME AND I WAS BACK IN SEATTLE AND ONE OF
YOUR GOOD ASSOCIATES THERE, ART PERETTI CAME UP TO ME AND SAID
YOU REALLY OUGHT TO HEAR THIS CHANNEL AND YOU REALLY OUGHT TO
HERE THIS NUN. AND I SAID WHO IS THIS? MOTHER ANGELICA. SO I STARTED WATCHING HER.
AND WHAT I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT WHAT SHE CONTRIBUTED,
PARTICULARLY IN THAT AREA OF PRAYER IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
HAVE DIFFICULTY JUST PRAYING ON THEIR OWN OR TAKING OUT THAT
ROSARY IN ISOLATION AND MOVING THROUGH IT. BUT WHEN YOU'RE THERE AND SHE'S
MAYBE DOING A ROSARY OR WHATEVER IT IS ON EWTN, PEOPLE CAN
ACTUALLY FOLLOW ALONG AND THE REVERENCE WITH WHICH THAT ROSARY
IS BEING DONE, THE WAY IN WHICH HER FAITH AND FAITH OF HER
COMMUNITY MANIFESTS ITSELF REALLY HELPS THEM TO KEEN
MAINTAIN A PRAYER LIFE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE THEIR DAILY
LIVES. AND OF COURSE THAT'S THE KEY
THING IS THAT DAILY CONNECTION WITH GOD AND HAVING THIS GROUP
TO SAY IT WITH IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AND I THINK THAT WAS
PART OF HER GENIUS. SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT PEOPLE JUST
NEEDED THAT PRAYER SUPPORT, AND THE SAME HOLDS TRUE EVEN THOUGH
MOTHER WASN'T SAYING THE MASS SHE WAS CERTAINLY TRYING TO
BRING THAT INTO PEOPLE'S LIVES AND PEOPLE'S HOUSES, THAT KIND
OF SUPPORT FOR PRAYER FOR DEVOTION AND FOR, YOU KNOW, THE
LITTERING AND THE WHOLE EUCHARIST. IT IS JUST REALLY CENTRAL TO HER
AND IT WAS PART OF HER GENIUS. I THINK IT DOES WONDERS FOR
REALLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE. >> AND PEOPLE WOULD KNOW WHO ART
PERETTI IS. HE WORKED FOR EWTN FOR MANY
YEARS AND HE IS SELLING REAL ESTATE AND HAS BEEN A GREAT
SPOKESMAN FOR THE NETWORK OVER THE YEARS ESPECIALLY ON THE WEST
COAST AND HE IS STILL WORKING FOR US EVEN AS WE SPEAK TODAY SO
HE'S STILL OUT THERE PROMOTING MOTHER ANGELICA AND EWTN AND I
WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT PRAYING WITH MOTHER ANGELICA,
MEDITATIONS ON THE ROSARY AND OTHER PRAYERS, THAT THE FATHER
TALKED, THIS 1 AVAILABLE THROUGH THE EWTN WEB SITE. CHECK IN THE OUT.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER BOOK AVAILABLE THROUGH EWTN'S
RELIGIOUS CATALOGS IT'S FINDING TRUE HAPPINESS, SATISFYING OUR
RESTLESS HEARTS BY FATHER ROBERTS SPITZER AND WE WANTED TO
USE THAT AS THE KICK OFF FOR THE TOPIC OF TODAY'S SHOW. LET'S START WITH THIS QUESTION. SOMEBODY WROTE US AND IT SAYS,
WHY DO SOME PEOPLE THINK THEY'RE UNHAPPY? HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE
UNHAPPY IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HAPPY? >> YEAH, I MEAN IT'S A REALLY
GOOD QUESTION, AND IN THE BOOK, AS WE WILL PROBABLY EXPLAIN
THROUGHOUT THE SHOW TODAY I TALK ABOUT FOUR LEVELS OF HAPPINESS,
AND YOU KNOW PEOPLE CAN BE UNHAPPY ON ONE LEVEL, ALTHOUGH
THEY MIGHT THINK THEY'RE HAPPY ON ANOTHER LEVEL. BUT IF THEY'RE NOT MAKING ANY
DISTINCTION, IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPINESS IS WHEN THEY HAVE
FEELINGS OF EMPTINESS OR LONELINESS OR FEELINGS OF NOT
GOING ANYWHERE, I MEAN THE REASON THAT THEY'RE HAVING THESE
FEELINGS IS BECAUSE SOMETHING IS ABSENT, SOMETHING MISSING FROM
THEIR LIVES, AND THERE'S SOME KIND OF UNFULFILLED DESIRE. THE PROBLEM IS, THEY DON'T KNOW
WHAT THEIR FOUR FUNDAMENTAL DESIRES ARE SO THEY HAVE NO IDEA
OF WHAT IS UNFULFILLED IN THEIR LIVES AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT
UNHAPPINESS IS. THEY HAVE FREE-FLOATING
ANXIETIES OR MANIFESTATIONS OF JUST SORT OF A GRAYNESS IN THEIR
LIVES OR EVEN WORSE SOMETIMES A DARKNESS IN THEIR LIVES AND THEY
HAVE NO WAY OF EXPLAINING IT. THEY'RE POWERLESS TO TALK ABOUT
IT. AND ARISTOTLE KNEW 400 YEARS AGO
AND JESUS CHRIST MUCH MORE THAN HE, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK
ABOUT HAPPINESS, AND THE MORE WE UNDERSTAND OURSELVES, THE MORE
WE UNDERSTAND OUR DESIRES, THE MORE WE UNDERSTAND HAPPINESS,
THE MORE WE'RE GOING TO UNDERSTAND UNHAPPINESS AND HOW
TO DEAL WITH IT. SO THAT'S REALLY THE PROJECT OF
THE BOOK BUT ALSO ONE OF THE PROJECTS OF THIS SHOW AS WE YOU
KNOW MOVE THROUGH THE PROGRESSIVE EPISODES. >> AND PEOPLE CAN E-MAIL US AT
SPITZER'S UNIVERSE.COM TO GET THE E-MAILS AND TWEETS AND
FACEBOOK POSTS INTO THE SHOW. HERE IS ANOTHER ONE THAT CAME
ACTUALLY FROM YOUR BOOK. WE ARE USING THESE AS A LITTLE
BIT OF A PRIMER. WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE UNHAPPY AND
HAPPY AT THE SAME TIME? FULL AND EMPTY, FULFILLED AND
UNFULFILLED? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? CAN PEOPLE FEEL EXACTLY THAT
SAME WAY? OR IS IT THAT THEY MOVE FROM ONE
TO THE OTHER? >> WELL, THEY MOVE FROM ONE TO
THE OTHER FOR SURE. AND SOMETIMES I THINK THEY
REALLY DO HAVE A CONFLICT. I DO THINK THAT THEY -- YOU KNOW
THAT THEY HAVE MIXED FEELINGS LITERALLY OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT,
YOU KNOW, SIMULTANEOUSLY. BUT MOST OF THE TIME THEY'RE
MOVING FROM ONE TO THE OTHER, AND THAT'S GENERALLY BECAUSE
THEY'RE MOVING FROM ONE LEVEL OF HAPPINESS TO ANOTHER LEVEL OF
HAPPINESS. SO THEY'RE MOVING YOU KNOW MAYBE
THEY'RE HAPPY ON LEVEL ONE SO THEY JUST HAD A GREAT BOWL OF
LINGUINE BUT THEY COULD BE INCREDIBLE LONELY ON LEVEL
THREE, OR MAYBE THEY'RE FEELING, YOU KNOW, GREAT SATISFACTION,
THEY'VE JUST MAYBE PASSED A TEST OR MAYBE THEY'VE GOTTEN A
PROMOTION ON LEVEL TWO, THEY'RE FEELING TREMENDOUSLY HAPPY BUT
THEY FEEL A STRANGE SENSE OF COSMIC ALIENATION OR EMPTINESS. YOU KNOW ONE THING, KIND OF A
PERVASIVE SOMETHING MISSING SORT OF A REAL DEEP FEELING IN THE
PIT OF THEIR STOMACHS THAT THEY CAN'T EXPLAIN IT OR JUST BEING
OUT OF KILTER WITH THE WHOLE UNIVERSE AND THAT WOULD BE ON
LEVEL FOUR, SO YOU KNOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY FEEL HAPPY ON ONE LEVEL
AND FEEL EXTREMELY UNHAPPY ON ANOTHER LEVEL, AND, OF COURSE,
THE CONFLICTS NOT ONLY MIXED THEM UP BUT CAN ACTUALLY MAKE
THEM FEEL EVEN UNHAPPIER BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW, WELL, WAIT A
MINUTE I SHOULD BE FEELING GREAT, I JUST GOT THIS
PROMOTION, SO WHY DO I FEEL THIS DARKNESS, WHY DEFENSIVELY
SOMETHING MISSING, WHY DEFENSIVELY THIS EMPTINESS WHY
DEFENSIVELY THIS PAIN, WHY DEFENSIVELY THIS SENSE OF
GUILTY, WHY DEFENSIVELY LIKE THE WORLD IS DARK,, WHY DEFENSIVELY
NOTHING IS MEANINGFUL TO ME, WHY DEFENSIVELY A SENSE OF
DESPONDENCY AND I JUST GOT A PROMOTION? THAT FEELING IS TYPICAL AND
THAT'S WHY IT'S IT IS IMPORTANT TO DEFINE THE FOUR LEVELS OF
DESIRE AND HAPPINESS SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO TO GET
OUT OF THE UNHAPPINESS PROBLEM. >> AND ALSO WE GOT SOMETHING ON
FACEBOOK THE OTHER DAY THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP. IT WAS A QUESTION SOMEBODY HAD
THAT TIES INTO THIS. IT SAYS: HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU
HAVE AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD? I HAVE BEEN PRAYING AND PRAYING
AND NOTHING HAPPENS FOR ME. THERE'S SOMEBODY SAYING I'M
TRYING TO REACH OUT TO GOD, MAKE THAT CONNECTION, I'M SEARCHING
FOR THAT TYPE OF TRANSCENDENT HAPPINESS BUT I'M NOT GETTING
ANYTHING. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO SOMEBODY THAT
SAYS THAT? >> I WOULD SAY FIRST OF ALL BE
PATIENT. WHAT IS OF CONSEQUENCE AND THE
WAY GOT GENERALLY WORKS IS, IF YOU HAVE CONSISTENCY IN YOUR
PRAYER, YOU KNOW, GOD IS GOING TO COME WITH SOME KIND OF
CONCILIATION IN THE LONG RUN. NOW SOME PEOPLE, THEY SAY WELL
I'M PRAYING AND I'M PRAYING, AND SOMETIMES THOSE PRAYERS ARE
PRAYERS OF PETITION. I SAY THEM ALL THE TIME AND GOD
DOES ANSWER THOSE PRAYERS. MAYBE YOU'RE NOT FEELING
ANYTHING PUT YOU WILL NOTICE SORT OF THIS CONSPIRACY OF
DIVINE PROVIDENCE IS TAKING OVER SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT
SOMEHOW DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY ARE OPENING OR SOMETHING IS
HAPPENING THAT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES BUT
IT'S VERY SUBTLE BECAUSE REMEMBER GOD IS NOT GOING TO
INTERFERE WITH YOUR FREE WILL. GOD IS NOT GOING TO POUR A
CONCILIATION UPON YOU THAT IS GOING TO INTERFERE WITH YOUR
FREE WILL. HE MAY PROTECT YOU FROM
DESOLATION, YOU KNOW, HE MAY PROTECT YOU FROM EMPTINESS. SO WHEN I GENERALLY TELL PEOPLE
IS, IF YOU'RE JUST STARTING OFF IN YOUR PRAYER LIFE, FIND
SOMETHING THAT IS MANAGEABLE, LIKE A ROSARY IS A GOOD WAY TO
START, OR MAYBE EVEN JUST SAYING THE ROSARY RIGHT WITH MOTHER
ANGELICA ON EWTN OR JUST TAKE OUT THE -- OR THE MAGNIFICAT
WHICH IS A WONDERFUL RESOURCE WHICH YOU CAN GET ONLINE OR SENT
TO YOU BASICALLY ALMOST FREE OF CHARGE, AND THIS RESOURCE YOU
JUST KIND OF DO THE DAILY PSALMS BUT BE PATIENT FOR A WHILE. BECAUSE WHAT GOOD IS TRYING TO
DO IS CALL YOU TO THIS CONSISTENCY IN PRAYER. THE FIRST THING THAT YOU WILL
NOTICE, IF YOU ARE PRAYING AND YOU WERE FEELING PREVIOUSLY THAT
SENSE OF EMPTINESS OR FOREBODING OR DARKNESS, NOTICE THAT WHEN
YOU START PRAYING FIRST, THAT SENSE OF ALIENATION, NOT BEING
AT HOME, THAT SENSE OF DARKNESS, THAT SENSE OF FOREBODING, IT
STARTS TO GET MITIGATED. IT'S -- LITERALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU
CAN FEEL MORE AT HOME. THINGS START HAPPENING. AND I COMPARE IT, YOU KNOW,
TO -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A MOM OR GRANDFATHER OR
SOMETHING, WHO IS ALWAYS PLAYING THE RADIO SO YOU GO OVER TO THE
HOUSE THERE AND THE RADIO IS ALWAYS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND
AND SO FORTH. YOU DON'T NOTICE THAT RADIO
AFTER A WHILE. ALMOST LIKE THE RADIO JUST
COMPARED TO GOD'S CONCILIATION. BUT BOY, IF YOU TURN THAT RADIO
OFF, THE SILENCE WOULD BE DEAFENING IN THE SENSE THAT YOU
WOULD NOTICE IT. AND I THINK THAT'S THE WAY GOD
IS. HE IS THERE. HE IS PRESENT TO US. HE IS CONSOLING US ALREADY. IF HE WEREN'T THERE PRESENT,
BELIEVE ME WE WOULD BE FEELING A SENSE OF ALIENATION, OF
LONELINESS, FOREBODING, SOME KIND OF AWFULNESS AND SO FORTH. IT'S PART OF GOD'S PROTECTION
FOR US. BUT IF YOU KEEP PRAYING, THERE
ARE GOING TO BE THOSE SPECIAL MOMENTS OF CONCILIATION WHERE
YOU'RE JUST GOING TO GET A MOMENT OF FEELING AT HOME WITH
GOD AND EVERYTHING OR SOME PASSAGE YOU MIGHT BE READING A
PSALM IN THE MAGNIFICAT AND THAT THING IS GOING TO BLAST RIGHT
OFF THE PAGE RIGHT AT YOU AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A TRUTH
ANYTIME OR FEEL SENSE OF HOME IN IT BUT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY GOING
TO BE THOSE LITTLE MOMENTS OF CONCILIATION THAT C.S. LEWIS IN
HIS BOOK "SURPRISE BY JOY" HE CALLED THEM STABS OF JOY, JUST
LITTLE MOMENTS OF BEING AT HOME, LITTLE MOMENTS OF GETTING THAT
SENSE OF SACREDNESS AND MYSTERY THAT COME UPON YOU AND THEN KIND
OF -- THEY'RE VERY QUICK. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO INTERFERE
WITH YOUR FREEDOM. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PUSH YOU
INTO SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO VOLUNTARILY GO TO, BUT
GOD WILL ALWAYS BE THERE IF YOUR PRAYERS IF YOU KEEP PRAYING THAT
ROSARY, YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE THOSE MOMENTS OF CONCILIATION
AND THAT'S NOT THE REAL REASON FOR PRAYING. THE REAL REASON FOR PRAYING IS
TO STAY IN CONNECTION WITH GOD. BECAUSE WHEN YOU STAY IN
CONNECTION WITH GOD YOU'RE STAYING IN CONNECTION WITH HIS
WHOLE VIEWPOINT OF THE WAY THINGS ARE, AND THAT'S WHAT IS
GOING TO MAKE YOUR MORAL LIFE EASIER. YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, THE MORE
YOU PRAY, THE MORE -- YOU KNOW, IT'S EASIER TO REMAIN MORALLY
STRONG. IT'S REALLY TRUE. IT'S NOT AT THE MOMENT. IT'S JUST LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS
IN PRAYER THAT CONSISTENCY OF MAYBE JUST TWO DECADES OF THE
ROSARY AT NIGHT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF, DO THAT AND
START THERE AND KEEP CONSISTENT. WHAT YOU WILL NOTICE IS THAT
YOU'RE ABLE MORE AND MORE TO DEAL NOT ONLY WITH COMPASSION
BUT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO, THE RIGHT THING, HOW JESUS WOULD BE
DOING IT. IT'S A REAL FOUNDATIONAL STEP. IT DOESN'T PROMISE CONS HAITIAN
AUGUST THE TIME BUT BUILDING A FOUNDATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT
AND THE GOOD CONSEQUENCES OF IT YOU WILL SEE IT UNFOLD,
ESPECIALLY IN YOUR MORAL LIFE AND ESPECIALLY IN WISDOM. >> VERY GOOD, FATHER. A LOT TO THINK ABOUT THERE. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK
HERE. DOUG KECK. WE TAKE A BREAK ON "FATHER
SPITZER'S UNIVERSE." MUCH MORE AHEAD. GREAT QUESTIONS COMING IN AS WE
SPEAK AND TALK ABOUT HAPPINESS. STAY WITH US RIGHT HERE ON
"FATHER SPITZER'S UNIVERSE." �
� >> THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US
HERE ON "FATHER SPITZER'S UNIVERSE." YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH US WITH AT
FATHERSPITZERS UNIVERSE@EWTN.COM.
AND ON TWITTER, #FSUNIVERSE. AND AN EWTN AT WELL. WE'RE TALKING TO FATHER ABOUT
FINDING TRUE HAPPINESS BASED ON HIS BOOK OF THE SAME TITLE
SATISFYING OUR RESTLESS HEARTS AVAILABLE THROUGH EWTN'S
RELIGIOUS CATALOG AND MOTHER ANGELICA'S BOOK ABOUT WHY PRAYER
IS SO IMPORTANT IN MAKING PEOPLE FEEL AS IF THEY ARE ACHIEVING
SOME LEVEL OF HAPPINESS. LET ME ASK YOU FATHER, TURN TO
YOU AND ASK YOU THIS QUESTION: WERE PEOPLE ALWAYS OVER THE
YEARS WORRIED ABOUT BEING HAPPY, OR ARE WE LIVING IN A TIME WHEN
PEOPLE HAVE MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT
PARTICULAR THINGS RATHER THAN WORRYING ABOUT WHETHER THE
SABRETOOTH TIGER WAS GOING TO EAT THEM OR WHETHER WE'RE
SCRATCHING OUT ENOUGH FOOD ON A DAILY BASIS TO FEED THE FAMILY? IS THIS NEW PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE
IN A SENSE? >> WELL, I MEAN, IT MIGHT BE
SLIGHTLY MORE EXAGGERATED TODAY THAN IT WAS. BUT OF COURSE THIS GOES BACK TO
ARISTOTLE, 2400 YEARS AGO AND IT WAS ARISTOTLE IN THIS BOOK, BOOK
ONE AT THE BEGINNING: THE WHOLE FOUNDATION FOR HIS ETHICS. HE MAKES THIS OBSERVATION THAT
HAPPINESS IS THE ONE THINGS YOU CAN CHOOSE FOR ITSELF. EVERYTHING ELSE IS CHOSEN FOR
THE SAKE OF HAPPINESS. SO THIS ONE WORD, THIS ONE IDEA
IN OUR MIND IS LITERALLY DETERMINING WHAT WE THINK ABOUT
OURSELVES, WHERE OUR LIVES ARE GOING, WHAT KINDS OF FRIENDS WE
ARE GOING TO PURSUE, WHAT KIND OF JOBS WE'RE GOING TO PURSUE,
WHAT KINDS OF MARRIAGES WE'RE GOING TO PURSUE, WHAT OUR VALUES
AND OUR PRINCIPLES ARE GOING TO BE, WHAT OUR RELIGIOUS LIFE OR
LIFE OF PIETY IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT IS GOING TO BE. IN OTHER WORDS IT'S GOING TO
DETERMINE EVERYTHING THAT WE PURSUE BECAUSE OF COURSE WE WANT
TO BE HAPPY. SO THAT'S WHY ARISTOTLE TAKES
THIS BIG CHUNK OF THE NICODEMUS ETHICS RIGHT UP FRONT AND
DESCRIBES WHAT ARE THE KINDS OF HAPPINESS, WHAT ARE THE KIND OF
DESIRES THAT NEED TO BE FULFILLED. REMEMBER HAPPINESS IS THE
FULFILLMENT OF A DESIRE. SO HE TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO
DEVELOP THIS AND HE DOES IT BECAUSE HE KNOWS THIS ONE TERM
WILL AFFECT THE LIVES OF HIS STUDENTS AND HIS FACULTY MORE
THAN ANY OTHER SUBJECT HE COULD POSSIBLY BE PURSUING. THE WRONG NOTION OF HAPPINESS IS
REALLY GOING TO GET YOU INTO NOT ONLY A WASTED LIFE BUT POTENTIAL
A DESTRUCTIVE LIFE AND THE RIGHT NOTION OF HAPPINESS CAN GET YOU
NOT ONLY INTO A GOOD LIFE BUT INTO AN ALL MATILY FULFILLED
LIFE IN GOD, AND CERTAINLY ARISTOTLE SEES ALL FOUR LEVELS
OF HAPPINESS HIMSELF AND WANTS HIS OWN STUDENTS TO PURSUE THE
HIGHEST LEVEL. >> IN THAT SENSE DO YOU THINK
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE TODAY IS THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING
FOR HAPPINESS IN THE WRONG PLACES? >> YES. THAT'S EXACTLY THE PROBLEM. WHAT ARE WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL
A LEVEL ONE AND LEVEL TWO CULTURE AND WE ARE SO LEVEL ONE
AND LEVEL TWO THAT WE ARE IGNORING LEVEL THREE AND FOUR
AND I WILL EXPLAIN THAT IN A MOMENT. BUT IGNORING LEVEL THREE AND
FOUR IS FIRST GOING TO MAKE -- THAT'S ONE REASON WE'RE GOING TO
BE UNHAPPY. I HAD CALL THAT EMPTINESS. I'LL COME BACK TO IT. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER REASON WHY
PURSUING LEVEL ONE AND LEVEL TWO ALONE IS GOING TO MAKE YOU
UNHAPPY. BECAUSE A LEVEL ONE UNHAPPINESS,
THAT'S THE KIND OF HAPPINESS THAT COMES FROM PLEASURE,
EXTERNAL PLEASURE OR CONDITIONAL POSSESSIONS. I HAVE A FANCY CAR, I'M HAPPY. I EAT, I'M HAPPY. IT'S AN EXTERNAL PLEASURE. IT'S A MATERIAL THING AND I GET
THE THING I'M HAPPY. LEVEL TWO IS WHERE OUR CULTURE
IS, ABOUT 70% OF OUR CULTURE. MIGHT BE CALLED DOMINANT LEVEL
TWO HAPPINESS. THAT'S EGO COMPARATIVE
HAPPINESS: WHO IS ACHIEVING MORE, WHO IS ACHIEVING LESS, WHO
HAD A MORE POWER, WHO HAS LESS POWER, MORE STATUS, LESS STATUS,
WHO IS MORE INTELLIGENT, LESS INTELLIGENT OR ATHLETIC OR
BEAUTIFUL AND WHO IS A WINNER AND WHO IS A LOSER. NOW, THAT'S VERY TYPICAL. GOD GAVE US THAT SET OF DESIRES,
BECAUSE THERE'S A REALLY GOOD SIDE TO THOSE DESIRES, THE
PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE, RIGHT, THE PURSUIT OF, YOU KNOW, SELF
DEVELOPMENT, THE IDEA OF SELF-ESTEEM, OF BEING ABLE TO
FACE YOUR COMPETITORS, EVEN THE COMPETITORS THAT THEREIN YOU,
THAT YOU HAVE COURAGE AND THERE ARE MANY GOOD THINGS ABOUT LEVEL
TWO. HOWEVER IF THAT'S THE ONLY THING
YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT, WHO IS MORE INTELLIGENT, LESS
INTELLIGENT, MORE STATUS, LESS STATUS, MORE CONTROL, LESS
CONTROL -- IF THAT IS WHAT IS WORRYING YOU ALONE, THAT'S WHAT
YOU THINK REAL HAPPY AS SOON AS GOING TO COME FROM, GET READY
FOR THIS KIND OF UNHAPPINESS: JEALOUSY. FEAR OF FAILURE. FEAR OF LOVES OF ESTEEM. EGO SENSITIVITY. I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE THE
WINNER OF THE WESTERN WORLD. I THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS AN
INTELLIGENT ENOUGH KID. I GIVE A PRESENTATION IN CLASS
ONE DAY. I MAKE A MISTAKE IN PRONOUNCING
THE WORD SPECK RESPECT TO COPY, A WELL-KNOWN PHYSICAL PROCESS
FOR MEASURING -- >> I HAVE HAD THAT PROBLEM MANY
TIMES. >> ANYWAY, THIS KID. >> MANY TIMES. >> ANYWAY, I MISPRONOUNCE THIS
WORD AND THIS KID WALKS UP TO ME AND SAID SPITZER THAT WORK, YOU
PRONOUNCED IT WRONG THREE TIMES AND NOW EVERYBODY BELIEVES
YOU'RE AN IDIOT. SO I GO HOME AND I TAKE THESE --
I'M TERRIBLE BRIE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, RIGHT? I HAVE ALL OF THESE FEELINGS OF
EMBARRASSMENT AND ANGER AT MYSELF AND EVERYTHING ELSE. YOU START HAVING SUICIDAL
FEELINGS OVER THE MISPRONUNCIATION OF A BORED. ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN WINNERS ARE GOING TO GET
IT AS MUCH AS LOSERS, RIGHT? AND PEOPLE WHO ARE IN BETWEEN,
SITTING THERE AND SWEATING BULLETS AT NIGHT THAT THEY COULD
DO SOMETHING WRONG, AND ARE LESS THAN A GOD OR LESS COMPETITIVE
THAN THE NEXT PERSON. IT'S A CULTURAL MISERY, AND ON
TOP OF IT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT FULFILLING YOUR LEVEL FOUR
DESIRES YOU'RE FEELING DEEP EMPTINESS. AND WITH ALL OF THIS NEGATIVE
FEELINGS, YEAH, WE'RE UNHAPPY. WE'RE ABSOLUTELY UNHAPPY IN THE
CULTURE, AND IT IS REALLY A -- I'D ALMOST CALL IT A PANDEMIC. IT'S SO OVER THE TOP, AS THE
MEDIA KEEPS STOKING LEVEL ONE AND TWO HAPPINESS BECAUSE IT
SELLS, AND ALSO BECAUSE, OF COURSE, IT'S -- IT'S WORRIED
ABOUT IMAGE, AND IMAGE IS BASICALLY ON LEVEL ONE AND LEVEL
TWO. THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW -- THAT'S
THE LEVELS THAT WORRY ABOUT IMAGE, AND SO -- FACEBOOK, I
MEAN TALK ABOUT EXACERBATING A PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, EITHER
HAVE -- NOW IT'S NOT JUST YOU GETTING TO KNOW YOU, THE PERSON,
THE FRIEND, DOUG KECK, WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT NOW IS THE
IMAGE OF DOUG KECK THAT HE PORTRAYS OF HIMSELF ON THE
FACEBOOK AND SOMETIMES THAT IMAGE BARELY RESEMBLES THE
REABILITY OF THE PERSON. THEY HAVE CREATED A COMPLETE
FACADE AND PEOPLE ARE CONGRATULATING THEM FOR IT BUT
STILL THE EMPTINESS PERSISTS AND STILL THE SENSE OF LONELINESS
AND MEANINGLESSNESS, DESPONDENCY EXISTS BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE OF
RELIGION, THE ANTIBIOTICS OF CONTRIBUTION, OF DEEPER MEANINGS
IN LIFE, STILL, THE JEALOUSY, FEAR OF FAILURE AND LOSS OF
ESTEEM, EGO SENSITIVITY, EGO RAGE, SELF PITY. IT PERSISTS ON THIS LEVEL WHICH
IS DRIVING NOT ONLY OUR KIDS CRAZY, BUT OUR MIDDLE AGE PEOPLE
CRAZY, AND FRANKLY A LOT OF OUR OLDER PEOPLE CRAZY. WE'RE OUT OF CONTROL AND IF WE
DON'T START GETTING A HOLD OF THIS REFLECTIVELY AND
EDUCATIONALLY IN THE CON SECRETARY OF OUR RELIGION AND
OUR FAITH, WE ARE GOING TO GO CRAZY AS A CULTURE, JUST LOOK
AROUND. >> HERE IS A QUESTION SOMEONE
E-MAILED US WHICH TIES INTO IT ON A BROADER SENSE. FATHER, HOW DO WE LIVE IN THE
WORLD AND NOT BE PART OF IT, WHILE WE MUST STILL BE IN IT TO
EARN LIVING? I ASSUME THAT PERSON IS SAYING
TRYING TO BE PA GOOD PERSON AND LIVE THAT TRANSCENDENT HAPPINESS
AND DOING THE RIGHT THING BUT STILL BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR
PUTTING BREAD ON THE TABLE. >> OH, ABSOLUTELY. WHEN I WAS PRESIDENT OF THE
UNIVERSITY, I HAD TO BE COMPETENT, RIGHT? I HAD BETTER HAVE SOME LEVEL TWO
QUALITIES RIGHT? SO I TRIED TO DEVELOP MYSELF,
DEVELOP MY EDUCATION, DEVELOP MY SPEAKING ABILITIES. DEVELOP MY ANALYTICAL ABILITIES,
DEVELOP MY JUDGMENT, DEVELOP MY QUANTITATIVE ABILITIES, FOR
QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT. ALL OF THESE THINGS, YES, THEY
MAKE YOU COMPETITIVE BUT THEY ALSO MAKE YOU A VERY GOOD
VISIONARY LEADER AND WE DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO DEVELOP
THOSE THINGS, THOSE LEVEL TWO CHARACTERISTICS IN OUR LIVES --
SO I'M NOT IN ANY WAY SAYING DON'T DEVELOP YOURSELF, YOUR
ATHLETIC CAPACITIES OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE. ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL BE
USEFUL. WHAT I AM SAYING IS DON'T LIVE
FOR THEM. AND WHAT I MEAN BY LIVE FOR THEM
IS DON'T LIVE TO BE BETTER THAN OTHER PEOPLE WITH THEM SO I WANT
TO CULTIVATE MY INTELLIGENCE SO I CAN DO GOOD FOR THE LORD, FOR
THE STUDENTS I TEACH, THE COMMUNITIES I SERVE, THAT'S WHAT
I WANT TO DEVELOP MY INTEGRITY FOR. I DON'T WANT TO DEVELOP MY
INTELLECT SO I CAN BE BETTER OR SMALLER THAN SOMEBODY ELSE SEA
YOU CAN SAY AT THE END OF MY LIFE, GEE, I PUBLISHED 12 BOOKS. HOW MANY DID YOU PUBLISH? OR I, YOU KNOW, STARTED THESE
INSTITUTES, HOW MANY DID YOU START? IF THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE
LIVING GET READY FOR DISAPPOINTMENT. GET READY FOR REAL NEGATIVE, GET
READY FOR PROFOUND INTEREST. >> BACK IN THE 80S THEY USED
TO SAY HE WHO DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS. REMEMBER THAT BUMPER STICKER. IT WAS VERY POPULAR IN ITS TIME. >> IT'S PATHETIC REALLY. A COMPLETE UNDERESTIMATION OF
HUMAN INTELLECTABILITY, SPIRITUAL, MORAL JUDGMENT, AND
JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE WE HAVE ANOTHER E-MAIL FOR YOU. DEAR FATHER SPITZER: WHAT DOES
IT REQUIRE TO GO FROM COMPARATIVE TO A HIGHER FORM OF
HAPPINESS OR BLESSEDNESS? THAT'S FROM AMOS. SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY, IS OUR
GOAL TO BE BLESSED OR TO BE HAPPY OR ARE THOSE THE SAME
THINGS? HOW SHOULD WE THINK OF THOSE? >> YEAH, I MEAN ACTUALLY LATIN
HAD FOUR DIFFERENT TERMS FOR -- YOU KNOW THE FOUR LEVELS OF
HAPPINESS, SO THE LOWEST LEVEL WAS CALLED LITOS, THAT'S THE
KIND OF HAPPINESS THAT COMES FROM A GOOD BOVAL LINGUINE OR A
GOOD CAR. THE SECOND ONE, FEEL EX, LIKE
FELIX THE CAT, REMEMBER, WHICH MEANS HAPPY BUT IT MEANS HAPPY
IN THE EGO-COMPARATIVE SENSE OF THE WORD. THEN WE GET INTO WHAT IS CALLED
BLESSEDNESS, RIGHT? DEACTUS IN LATIN WHICH WE GET
THE WORD OF THE BEATITUDES THAT WE READ ABOUT N. MATTHEW. THAT'S THE CONTRIBUTE ACTIVE
KIND OF HAPPINESS, THE LOVING KIND OF HAPPINESS THAT COMES
FROM BEING POOR IN SPIRIT THAT IS HUMBLE HEARTED OR COMES FROM
MEEKNESS WHICH IS GENTLE HEARTEDNESS THAT COMES FROM
BEING MERCIFUL WHICH IS TO SAY BEING FORGIVING AND LOOKING OUT
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN REAL NEED ET CETERA. SO IF YOU'RE CONTRIBUTING IN
THAT WAY, WE WILL CALL THAT WE AT TUESDAY AND THEN THE FOURTH
LEVEL WHICH IS THE SUBLIME KIND OF HAPPINESS THAT COMES FROM THE
TRANSCENDENT AND THAT'S A HIGHER DEGREE OF THE SUBLIME IS EVEN
HIGHER DEGREE OF BLESSEDNESS STILL. AND THAT REALLY COMES FROM NOT
ONLY PURSUING AND BEING FULFILLED BY PERFECT TRUTH,
LOVED GOOD BEAUTY AND HOPE, AND, OF COURSE, GOD IS PERFECT LOVE,
TRUTH, BEAUTY AND HOME, BUT AMOS, IT REALLY ALSO IS, IT'S
THAT IDEA OF BEING CONNECTED WITH, YOU KNOW, GOD SO DEEPLY
THAT WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH OUR LIVES IS HIS WILL. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HIS WILL IS
NOT GOING TO DESTROY US. >> HIS WILL IS NOT GOING TO
UNDERCUT US. HIS WILL IS NOT GOING TO DESTROY
OUR EFFECTIVENESS. QUITE THE CAN CONTRARY. GOD'S WILL AT ALL TIMES IS TO
OPTIMIZE SALVATION, LOVE, GOODNESS, THROUGH US. SO IF WE SUBMIT TO HIS WILL, IF
WE SURRENDER TO DOING THINGS THE WAY HE IS LEADING US THROUGH HIS
HOLY SPIRIT, THE WAY HE IS DIRECTING US DO THE GOOD
INSTRUCTION OF LIST SON THAT COMES TO US FROM THE BIBLE AND
THE CHURCH, WHEN WE GET THOSE THINGS AND TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY
AND LIVE ACCORDING TO THEM, YOU COULDN'T HAVE 20 WORRY. GOD IS GOING TO USE YOU AS HIS
INSTRUMENT TO OPTIMIZE GOD AND SALVATION AND LOVE IN THE WORLD. YOU WILL BE BLESSED. AND WHEN YOU'RE BEING BLESSED,
YOU'RE GOING TO BE HAPPY. RIGHT. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WELL,
MOTHER TERESA WASN'T VERY HAPPY FOR ALL OF THOSE YEARS. NO. MOTHER TERESA FELT DESOLATION,
YOU KNOW, WHICH IS WHAT WE WILL CALL A FEELING, RIGHT, THAT HAS
TO DO WITH WHAT IS CALLED THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL. BUT MOTHER TERESA AT THE SAME
TIME WAS HAPPY GAZING INTO THE EYES OF SOMEONE SHE WAS HELPING. SHE WAS HAPPY KNOWING THAT SHE
WAS SERVING THE LORD. SHE WAS HAPPY ON LEVEL FOUR IN A
LOT OF WAYS AND, OF COURSE, WE KNOW FROM BENEDICT ROCHELLE AND
OTHERS THAT, AS MOTHER TERESA APPROACHED HER DYING DAYS, SHE
LITERALLY BECAME ALMOST GIDDY. SHE WAS FILLED WITH A SENSE OF
JOY. I MEAN CONCILIATION HAD COME TO
HER IN A VERY PROFOUND WAY IN THE PAGE IS OF THE SPIRITUAL
LIFE AND SHE OF COURSE DIED IN EXTREMELY CONSOLED HAPPY ALMOST
GIDDY JOYFUL UNBELIEVABLY BLESSED PERSON -- SO
PUTTING YOURSELF IN THE HANDS OF GOD,
KEEP THAT SURRENDER TO GOD AND KEEP LOOKING FORKED GUIDANCE OF
HIS SPIRIT AND ABOVE ALL FOLLOWING THESE GOOD TEACHINGS
THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN US THROUGH OF COURSE HIS SON JESUS
AND THROUGH, OF COURSE, THE CHURCH TODAY. >> EXACT RELY FATHER AND WOULD I
THINK THIS IS A PATH THAT YOU TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME, LIKE
MOTHER WOULD SAY, WITH ONE FOOT IN THE AIR AND A QUEAZY FEELING
IN YOUR STOMACH AND YOU TRUST IN OUR LORD. WE TAKE A BREAK NOW, SPEAKING
WITH FATHER SPITZER LIFE FROM THE CHRIST CATHEDRAL STUDIOS,
EWTN STUDIES AND WHERE HIS OFFICES ARE, TALKING ABOUT
HAPPINESS. STAY WITH US. MORE AHEAD ON "FATHER SPITZER'S
UNIVERSE." >> THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US
ON "FATHER SPITZER'S UNIVERSE." I'M DOUG KECK TALK ABOUT FINDING
TRUE HAPPINESS BASED ON THE FATHER'S BOOK FINDING OUR
RESTLESS HEARTS AVAILABLE IN THE EWTN CATALOG. YOU CAN GO THERE AND IT'S ITEM
9564. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAPPINESS
WITH FATHER SPITZER. LET ME ASK YOU ONE QUESTION
BEFORE WE GO TO OUR NEXT E-MAIL THAT WE JUST GOT IN. I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHILE YOU
WERE TALKING ABOUT YOUR ANSWER BEFORE S PART OF THE PROBLEM OF
WHY EVEN SOMEBODY WHO IS ACTING LIKE THE WORLD IS -- THEY HAVE A
TIGER BY THE TAIL AND THINGS ARE GOING GREAT BECAUSE INSIDE THEY
KNOW WHAT THE TRUTH ACTUALLY IS? THAT WHAT PEOPLE THINK IS NOT
REALITY? >> WELL I THINK THEY KNOW
SUBCONSCIOUSLY WHAT THE TRUTH IS. BUT WE CAN RUN FROM THAT. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT FOR A
MOMENT, MAYBE HE HAS THE TIGER BY THE TAIL AND EVERYTHING IS
GOING RIGHT IN HIS LIFE BUT HE GETS THESE FEELINGS, ALMOST
STABS OF EMPTINESS, STABS OF A VACUOUSNESS IN THE PIT OF HIS
STOMACH OR THE STABS OF BEING INCREDIBLY LONELY IN THE
TOTALITY OF THINGS AND SO FORTH. BUT THE MINUTE HE GETS THOSE
STABS, HE BACKS AWAY FROM THE MIRROR OR FROM THAT THOUGHT OR
SOMETIMES HE JUST SAYS I'M GOING TO GO TO THE BAR TONIGHT AND I'M
GOING TO FORGET ALL ABOUT IT AND SO FORTH AND THAT PERSON CAN
EASILY BEGIN, YOU KNOW, TURNING TO ALL KINDS OF LEVEL ONE
DISTRACTIONS, COULD EASILY TURN TO ALCOHOL, COULD EASILY TURN
TO, YOU KNOW IN ORDINARY PERSON'S LIFE EVEN ALL KINDS OF
ADDITION EXTRACTIONS TO KEEP THE QUESTION AT BAY BIT IF THE
QUESTION KEEPS PERSISTING AND IT WILL KEEP PERSISTING THEN YOU
HAVE TO TAKE MORE AND MORE RADICAL MEASURES TO KEEP IT AT
BAY BECAUSE THE FEELINGS THAT ACCOMPANY THAT QUESTION YOU
KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING OF ULTIMATE SIGNIFICANCE? DO I NEED ANYTHING IN THIS
UNIVERSE? IS THERE NICK TO LOOK FORWARD
TO? IS THERE HOPE BEYOND MY OWN
MATERIAL AND EGO COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE, RIGHT, AND SO FORTH,
THESE THINGS ARE STABBING IN AND STABBING IN AND THE MORE WE
IGNORE THEM THE MORE PERSISTENT THEY BECOME BECAUSE IT'S IN OUR
NATURE. IT'S BUILT INTO OUR DESIRES. AND OF COURSE IT COMES BACK TO
HAUNT US. WE START BECOMING VERY, VERY
VOLATILE WITH PEOPLE. WE START TURNING MORE AND MORE
TO ALCOHOL OR OTHER THINGS TO ASSUAGE THE QUESTION AND KEEP IT
AT BAY. MANY DISTRACTS, MOST ARE EGO
CENTRIC, BEING WHERE HE WANTS TO BE ALL THE TIME AND ET CETERA
AND ET CETERA. BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S GOING TO
COME BACK AS DARKNESS, AS SLEEPLESSNESS, AS A PERVASIVE
KIND OF EMPTINESS. THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO DEAL
WITH IT. IT'S TO MOVE TO LEVEL THREE
CONTRIBUTION AND TO RGR. I WOULD JUST SAY, AT SOME POINT
YOU HAVE TO MOVE TO GOD AND THE EASIEST WAY IS THROUGH RELIGION. AND I QUOTE AGAIN THAT STUDY,
YOU KNOW, THAT SHOWS THAT NONRELIGIOUSLY AFFILIATED PEOPLE
COMPARED WITH RELIGIOUSLY AFFILIATED PEOPLE HAVE A MUCH
HIGHER IN SELF-DEFENSE SUICIDE RATES BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN
REPRESSING THIS THING FOR A LONG TIME. THIS COULD BE A PERSON WHO WAS
REALLY SUCCESSFUL, COMMITS SUICIDE IN HIS BENTLEY DRINKING
EXPENSIVE WINE. TRUE EXAMPLE. THIS COULD BE PEOPLE THAT HAVE
ALWAYS HAD THE APPRECIATION AND THE ESTEEM OF OTHERS AND CAN
ACTUALLY, BECAUSE OF ONE INCIDENCE IN THEIR LIVES DRIVE
OFF OF A CLIFF. TRUE STORY. THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS
NOT JUST SUICIDE RATES INCREASE BUT ALL OF THE PRECURSORS TO THE
INCREASE OF SUICIDE RATES, INCREASE MEANINGLESS, INCREASE
DESPONDENCY, INCREASE FAMILIAL TENSIONS, INCREASE IMPULSE
AGGRESSIVE TEE, INCREASE A SENSE OF MEANINGLESSNESS AND DRIFT AND
MALAISE IN LIFE AND OF COURSE INCREASED SUBSTANCE ABUSE. IT'S ALL REALLY BEEN DOCUMENTED
AND THERE'S ONLY ONE REAL CAUSE. THEY HAVE NO RELIGIOUS FAITH, NO
RELIGION, NO SENSE OF TRANSCENDENCE, NO SENSE OF
ULTIMATE MEANING. THEY REALLY HAVE A SENSE OF
PERVASIVE LONELINESS. HAVING A TIGER BY THE TAIL. >> IN A SENSE HAVING BUILT THEIR
HOUSE ON SAND AND NOT HAVING THAT FOUNDATION, SOMETHING TO
HOLD ON TO WHEN THE WINS BLOW. HERE IS AN E-MAIL THAT JUST CAME
IN FROM JULIE. SHE ASKS: HOW DO YOU COPE WITH
UNHAPPINESS WHEN GOD SUCCESS YOU TO STAY IN THE MIDST OF SIN AND
IGNORANCE AND IT SEEMS TO NEVER CHANGE AND ONLY GET WORSE EVERY
DAY? THAT'S JULIE. MAYBE SHE'S IN A SITUATION WHERE
THAT SIMILAR PACKETING HER OWN SPIRITUAL LIFE BUT SHE SEEMS TO
BE NOT ABLE TO GET OUT OF THAT SITUATION. >> SOMETIMES YOU'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO BE A FORCE OF NON-IGNORANCE JULIE AND I'M
TAKING THE IT THAT YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY YOUR COLLEAGUES OR
SOMETHING IS GOING ON IN YOUR FAMILY THAT LEGAL IS KIND OF A
PERSISTENT VIEWPOINT OF REAL SIN AND IGNORANCE OF GOD AND EVEN A
GLEEFUL REJOICING IN THAT IGNORANCE. AND IT IS AN EXTREMELY UP
SETTLING THING BUT JESUS TRIES TO DO YOU BELIEVE US HERE. HE SAYS DON'T THROW YOUR PEARLS
BEFORE SWINE. YOU KNOW, OF COURSE TODAY WE
MIGHT THINK THAT'S A REALLY HARSH IMAGE RIGHT? BUT IN POINT
OF FACT WHAT HE IS TRYING TO SAY THERE IS THERE'S SO MUCH
CONVINCING YOU CAN DO, RIGHT, AND THEN EVENTUALLY YOU HAVE TO
BE YOUR OWN PERSON AND START TAKING SOLACE FROM YOUR
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY AND START LOOKING AND YOU GO TO CHURCH ON
SUNDAY, MAYBE IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO GET TO THAT
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY TO DO SOME THINGS AND TO SURROUND YOURSELF
WITH WHAT I WOULD CALL LEVEL THREE AND LEVEL FOUR FRIENDS A
LITTLE BIT MORE AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO REACH OUT AND MAYBE DO
SOMETHING IF WE CAN ON THE WEEK DAYS OR MAYBE IF WE HAVE A
CHANCE TO GO TO MASS WITH A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
MORE-LEVEL THREE AND FOUR DURING WEEK DAYS AS WELL AND MAYBE IT
WOULD BE TO JOIN A COMMUNITY SERVICE GROUP OR SOMETHING OF
THAT NATURE BILL I THINK THAT THE MAIN THING IF YOU FEEL
YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY SIN AND IGNORANCE ALL THE TIME YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO EXPAND, IF YOU CAN. I KNOW SOME SITUATIONS ARE VERY,
VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF KIDS AND THINGS OF THAT
NATURE BUT TO TRY AND GET THAT NEW TROUPE YOU FRIENDS, INVITE
YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS OR SOME OF YOUR COLLEAGUES INTO THAT NEW
GROUP FRIENDS WHICH MAY PRESENT THEM WITH IDEAS THAT DON'T COME
FROM YOU. FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT. SO IF AROUND YOUR FAMILY, IT'S
JUST JULIE SAYING -- SO SOMETIMES HAVING THAT ABILITY TO
BRING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE INTO A NEW GROUP OF LEVEL THREE AND
LEVEL FOUR FRIENDS CAN ADVANCE THEM. BUT IF THAI JUST RESIST, IF THEY
RIDICULE SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU KNOW YOU
KIND OF HAVE TO NOT THROW YOUR HORSE BEFORE THE SWINE. YOU HAVE TO BASICALLY LET THEM
LAPSE A LITTLE BIT UNTIL THEY'RE READY TO HERE. AND YOU MIGHT THINK WHEN ARE
THEY READY TO HEAR? WHEN THEY SUFFER. AND THERE ARE TWO WAYS. PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO BE
IMMUNE FROM SUFFERING FOREVER. THEY CAN EITHER TAKE THAT
SUFFERING AND TURN IT INTO DESPONDENCY AND THAT WOULD BE A
VERY UNFORTUNATE THING BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO LEAD TO THE END
RESULT OF PEOPLE REALLY GETTING DEPRESSED AND INTO DESPAIR AND A
REAL VILE LENT ANGER TOWARDS OTHERS AND THAT IS NOT GOOD BUT
IF SUFFERING ALWAYS HOLDS OUT THIS CONVENTION, IF SUFFERING
CAN TAKE A PERSON WHO HAS JUST BEEN A REAL RAT AND A REAL
ARROGANT PERSON WHO HAS BUILT THEIR LIFE AROUND LEVEL ONE AND
LEVEL TWO AND YOU'RE THINKING TO YOURSELF, I HOPE THEY GET THEIR
COMEUPPANCE, YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO GET THEIR COMEUPPANCE. WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO IS TAKE
THAT SUFFERING AND GO OH, MY GOSH, I WAS WRONG, I NEED
SOMETHING MORE IN MY LIFE. YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW I HAVE BUILT A
HOUSE OF CARDS AND IT'S COLLAPSING, AND THEN YOU'RE
THERE TO BE THE SUPPORT. YOU'RE THERE TO HOLD OUT
SOMETHING LIKE I'M BEGGING YOU TO PRAY WITH ME. LET'S JUST PRAY TOGETHER AND LET
GOD LET ME US OUT OF THIS. >> THAT'S A FORCE THAT CAN
CHANGE LIVES BECAUSE IT'S EASY EVEN THOUGH WE THINK WE'RE DOING
THE RIGHT THING, WHEN SOMEBODY IS SUFFERING SOMETIMES WE DON'T
ALWAYS -- AREN'T SO QUICK TO REACH OUT AND WE LIKE TO SEE
THEM DANG AND HE WILL SUFFER FOR A LITTLE WHILE TO MAKE UP FOR
PAST TRANSGRESSIONS AGAINST US AND I'M WONDERING, ALSO IN HER
CASE, MAYBE BY BEING WITH THOSE LEVEL THREE PEOPLE THAT WILL
GIVE THEM THE STRENGTH TO DEAL BETTER WHEN IN THE OTHER WORK
ENVIRONMENTS AND SO POSSIBLY THAT DOESN'T AFFECT HER AS IT
MIGHT HAVE BEFORE. >> ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S PRECISELY THE FACT. THE MORE WE CHOOSE OUR FRIENDS
CAREFULLY, IN OTHER WORDS WE CHOOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE RELIGIOUS,
WE CHOOSE PEOPLE WHO SHARE OUR HIGHER VALUES AND WE HAVE GOOD
COMMUNITY WITH THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS, IT REALLY DOES TONE DOWN
THE PRESSURES THAT WE FEEL BEING SURROUNDED BY SIN AND DARKNESS
SO IT REALLY MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. BUT DON'T LET THEM DANGLE THERE. >> YOU MADE YOUR BED, SLEEP IN
IT. RIGHT. DON'T DO THAT. JESUS SAYS, NO, JUST TRY AND
HELP THEM. YOU DON'T WANT THEM GOING
THROUGH DESPONDENCY. YOU WANT THEM GOING TO GOD. >> THAT'S WHAT THE YEAR OF MERCY
IS ALL ABOUT WHAT OUR HOLY FATHER IS TALK ABOUT. THIS IS ANOTHER E-MAIL AND SHE
TAKES INTO LEVEL THREE IN YOUR BOOK. SHE WRITES: HOW CAN I REMAIN IN
LEVEL 3 HAPPINESS AND CONTINUE TO FEEL CONNECTED TO GOD WHILE
DOING MY MONEY DAY TASKS? YOU MENTIONED THAT. HOW CAN I CONTINUE TO FEEL
CONNECTED TO GOD AFTER MY PRAYERS ARE OVER? THROUGH, LORRAINE. >> YEAH, OF COURSE SHE ALREADY
HAS THAT IDEA OF PRAYER IN THE SENSE OF -- YOU KNOW, PRAYERS OF
PETITION AND EVEN CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHER
THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO BRING PRAYER INTO OUR LIVES AND IN
THAT SECTION CHAPTER 8 THERE, LORRAINE, I WOULD -- IT'S CALLED
FOLLOWING THE HOLY SPIRIT, IT'S ABOUT THE SERMON AND SO FORTH
BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE SERMON. IT'S ABOUT FOLLOWING THE HOLY
SPIRIT IN OUR MONEY DANE LIVES. I MEAN YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED
HOW OPPORTUNITIES JUST POP UP. YOU KNOW AND IF WE'RE KIND OF
READYING OURSELVES TO HELP PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NEED A BOOST OF
HOPE OR MIGHT NEED AN EAR TO LISTEN TO THEM, YOU KNOW, IN
THEIR SUFFERING, YOU KNOW, THE MORE WE KIND OF PREPARE
OURSELVES IN THE MUNDANE WORK A DAY WORLD. IT IS AMAZING, YOU KNOW, HOW
MANY OPPORTUNITIES POP UP FOR US TO FOLLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVING US YOU
KNOW A LITTLE BIT OF A TASK. AND OF COURSE WE COULD ALSO MAKE
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES HAPPEN. LIKE YOU KNOW, LIKE BROTHER, WHO
WANTS TO TEACH 7TH GRADE CATECHISM CLASS TO PEOPLE. YET I THINK MY BROTHER FOUND A
GREAT DEAL OF ENJOYMENT OUT OF JUST PURSUING THAT OPPORTUNITY
AFTER HIS MUNDANE WORK A DAY WORLD. NOBODY ELSE WANTED TO TEACH IT. THESE KIDS NEEDED TO TEACH IT. HE GETS IN THERE AND SAYS YOU
KNOW I DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH THESE KIDS. I KIND OF FEND OFF THE PLAQUE
YOU KNOW. >> HE IS ALSO DEALING WITH A
GROUP IS THAT NOT INTERESTED. THAT'S KIND OF THE AGE WHERE HE
STARTS SAYING, I DON'T REALLY HAVE TO LISTEN TO THIS ANYMORE
DO I? IT'S A TOUGH CROWD. >> RIGHT. HE JUST HAS GREAT WAY AND
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE OPPORTUNITIES
HAPPEN. AND WHAT I WOULD CALL ACTION. SO NATURE HAS THIS PHRASE CALLED
CONTEMPLATION AND ACTION. WHAT HE MEANS BY THIS IS PRAYER
IS THE FIRST STEP. WE WANT TO BE IN CONNECTION WITH
GOD. AND WHAT DO WE DO AFTER THE
FIRST? WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE
MUNDANE JOB. WE CAN, FIRST OF ALL, GET READY
FOR WHEN THE LORD PRESENTS US WITH SOME OPPORTUNITY, AND HE IS
GOING TO ADD THAT. THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME PERSON. I MEAN THIS HAPPENS TO ME EVERY
SINGLE DAY. STILL, IT HAPPENS. THE SECOND THING THAT HAPPENS IS
MAKE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OURSELVES. FIND SOME OF THE COMMITTEES AT
CHURCH THAT IS WE MIGHT WANT TO BE WORKING ON OR FIND ESPECIALLY
SOMETHING THAT SUITS US THAT WE WANT TO DO AND I KNOW SO MANY
PEOPLE YOU KNOW DELIVER MEALS ON WHEELS, YOU KNOW, EVERY OTHER
SATURDAY OR -- AND THEY LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IT. SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY YOU KNOW
BECOME VOLUNTEERS AT THEIR CHURCH. IT TAKES UP A LOT OF TIME ON
THEIR SUNDAYS BUT THEY START LOOKING FORWARD TO IT SO THERE
ARE ALL KINDS OF WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE OPPORTUNITIES IS HAPPEN
AS WELL. AND GOD IS HAPPY WHEN WE ARE
RESTING, ESPECIALLY ON THE SABBATH, WHEN WE'RE TAKING THAT
DAY JUST TO CONTEMPLATE ON HIM AND SO UNITED STATES I. IT'S
OKAY TO GO ON A RETREAT AND TREAT YOURSELF TO A RETREAT, AND
THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF GROUPS THAT GO ON RETREATS. ALL KINDS OF -- ALL KINDS OF
PRAYER GROUPS AND STUDY GROUPS THAT YOU CAN GET YOURSELF
INVESTED N IT'S NOT ONLY OKAY, BUT GOD LOVES THIS. THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT
DEVELOPS YOUR FAITH. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT
YOURSELF. IF YOU HAVE A STUDY GROUP THERE
OR ONE OF THESE PARISH PRAYER GROUPS OR GOSPEL SPIRITUAL
READING GROUPS, ET CETERA, AT YOUR PARISH, YOU NEED TO THINK
ABOUT GETTING OR JOINING A GROUP AND THAT DONE REALLY A GOOD WAY
OF. >> IN A SENSE SOMETIMES IT MEANS
YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF YOURSELF AND THAT INTERACTION WITH OUR
PEOPLE, YOU TAKE THE FOCUS OFF OF YOURSELF AND PUT IT ON TO THE
OTHER, THAT KIND OF SELF DONATION THAT JOHN PAUL II, OUR
GREAT SAINT POPE PUT OUT THERE. LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION
BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND THIS TIES INTO A COUPLE
OF THE OTHER ONES THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT AND THIS IS FROM
YOUR BOOK ON HAPPINESS. WHY DO SOME TEENAGERS WHO HAVE
GREAT POTENTIAL HAVE SUICIDAL FEELINGS? I THINK PROBABLY YOU COULD ASK
ALMOST ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TEENAGERS AND THEY WOULD SAY ONE
GIVEN TIME IN THEIR LIFE MAYBE THEY DID HAVE THAT FEELING. HERE THOUGH, THE WORLD IS BEFORE
US, WE HAVE SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR, WE LIVE IN THIS AMAZING
TECHNOLOGICAL AGE, WHY WOULD THAT BE THE CASE. >> YEAH, I THINK REALLY IT'S
WHAT I CALL THE COMPARISON GAME THAT I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S THE FIRST REASON, WHO IS
ACHIEVING MORE OR LESS, MORE POWER, LESS POWER, MORE
ATHLETIC, LESS ATHLETIC, AND THEY ARE COMING OUT EITHER
THINKING OF THEMSELVES AS INFERIOR OAR THINKING THAT THEY
HAVE TO KEEP UP RIGHT ALL THE TIME AND THIS IS CAUSING THEM
GREAT DEAL OF CONSTERNATION. THE SECOND THING WHICH IS REALLY
IMPORTANT, TEENAGERS DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH INTERIOR
EMPTINESS. WHEN THEY GET THAT STRIKING
SENSE OF DEPRESSION DARKNESS OR EMPTINESS THEY MAY JUST BE
LOOKING AT THEMSELVES IN THE MIRROR, COMBING THEIR HAIR OR
SHAVING OF OR WHATEVER AND THEY LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND THAT
SENSE OF MEANINGLESSNESS IS COMING OVER THEM AND THEY DON'T
KNOW HOW TO HANDLE IT. THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S
COMING FROM AND THEY THINK IT'S A DEPRESSIVE STATE THAT IS GOING
TO HIT THEM RESTS OF THEIR LIVES N WE COULD JUST TEACH THEM THIS
MIGHT BE GOD'S CALL TO YOU, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE WHAT WE WANT
THEM TO DO IS TO START INVESTIGATING THINGS OF MEANING
IN THEIR LIVES, SO START WITH SOMETHING THAT IS INTERESTING,
IF YOU'RE INCLINED TO EMPIRICAL REFERENCE, GO THERE AND READ
THAT ARTICLE ON FAITH AND SCIENCE AND MEDICINE AND JUST
CLICK. IT'S A FREE ARTICLE. I KNOW IT'S ABOUT 30 PAGES BUT
JUST CLICK ON THAT AND READ IT. IT'S FASCINATING STUFF AND ALL
OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE GOING TO WHOLE GLIMMER OF THAT HOPE THAT
CAN COME WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT SALVATION AND THE OTHER THING IS
CLICK ON THAT SHROUD OF TURIN ARTICLE. I THINK YOU WILL FIND IT
ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING AND IS THERE REAL EVIDENCE FOR JESUS
RESURRECTION? REAL EVIDENCE OUT THERE THAT CAN
BE CONFIRMED BY FIRST-CLASS SCIENTISTS THAT NOT ONLY DID
JESUS RISE FROM THE DEAD BUT THERE MAY BE RESURRECTED TRANCE
ACCIDENT MEANING IN OUR LIVES? READ THAT STUFF. IF YOU'RE INTELLECTUALLY
INCLINED READ THAT STUFF. I HAVE TO TELL YOU CHURCH
HISTORY IS FASCINATING BUT THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS ARE
ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING AS WELL AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS --
>> ALSO FATHER -- THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THIS SHOW ALSO BECAUSE YOU
KNOW WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT THIS? WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK NEXT
MONTH. AND NOT ONLY WILL WE BE BACK
MONTHLY, YOU WILL BE HERE WEEKLY TO ANSWER THESE KINDS OF
QUESTIONS. SO WE CAN SAVE SOME OF THAT
WONDERFUL SAGE ADVICE FOR THE NEXT TIME THAT WE GET TOGETHER. I WILL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH WHEN
WE START OUR WEEKLY SHOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH FATHER SPITZER
FOR LETTING US INTO YOUR UNIVERSE THERE AT CHRIST
CATHEDRAL. SEE YOU NEXT MONTH. THANK YOU, FATHER. >> GOD BLESS YOU DOUG. >> THAT'S FATHER SPITZER OF
COURSE. A COUPLE OF ITEMS TO MENTION. THE SPITZER'S "FINDING TRUE
HAPPINESS: SATISFYING OUR RESTLESS HEARTS "-- THE BOOK
WHICH WE BASED THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM ON, ITEM 9564 ON THE
EWTN RELIGIOUS CATALOG. AND OUR FOUNDERS WOULD WANT YOU
TO CHECK THIS OUT, "PRAYING WITH MOTHER ANGELICA." PRAYER IS SO IMPORTANT. AND IT'S "MEDITATIONS ON THE
ROSARY, THE WAY OF THE CROSS AND OTHER PRAYERS," ITEM 008, AND
THAT'S "PRAYING WITH MOTHER ANGELICA." OUR FOUNDERS, AND IF IT WEREN'T
FOR HER WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BRING YOU PROGRAMS LIKE SHOW. I'M DOUG KECK THANKING YOU AND
ALL OF THE PEOPLE FOR WATCHING AND PARTICIPATING IN THIS
PROGRAM. SEE YOU NEXT MONTH AS, ONCE
AGAIN, WE ENTER FATHER SPITZER'S UNIVERSE.
