Spiritual knowledge as a means to achieve lasting happiness

Peace Times 10

The study of sacred principles raises us to a higher level of existence - To learn patience, perseverance, courage, humility & calmness

The only difference that appears to exist between people and animals seems to lie in the fact that people are spiritual beings while animals are not. This explains the importance for human beings to imbue themselves with as much religious knowledge as possible.

Through religious knowledge we enable ourselves to form a better concept of God and the angels and saints that surround Him. Through such a knowledge we learn how to distinguish what is morally right from wrong relative to the universal welfare. We also understand the meaning of virtues and how to practise them. In brief, through religious knowledge we are in a position to lead a happy, joyful, serene, and successful life. The practice of virtue enables us to start our eternity in heaven right now on earth.

Over the centuries, people have formed a distorted concept of God. He was viewed as a King of the Universe who is perfect - rewarding those who do right and punishing those who do wrong.

Jesus however, rebuked the Pharisees and told them that the God they preached was a God of revenge - an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. He added that the God He knew was a God of mercy who, when struck on one cheek would turn his other. The God presented to us by Jesus is one who respects our freedom to do what we wish, even though we may after suffer the consequences through our own fault.

God demonstrated a special love to human beings. His only beloved son was human and He appoints a guardian angel for every human being, to protect against all the evils and disasters we may come across in life. God also assigned various saints with particular missions. St. Jude Thaddeus has the priviledge to grant us anything we feel impossible to obtain. St. Christopher to help us in our travel. St. Benedict Labre has the power to help students study. The list goes on and on. When we consider that saints were human beings like us, having experienced the same difficulties as we do, we should feel encouraged.

Most importantly religious knowledge enables us to practise patience when things go wrong, to exercise prudence in dealing with others, to stay calm when approached by aggressive people, to show perseverance in our effort to correct the maladies of our society, to demonstrate courage in the promotion of justice, to feed the hungry when we come across them, to reveal humility each time we commit mistakes, and to ask for forgiveness each time we transgress the law. Detachment to earthly things is the secret of advancement in our spiritual life; as we free our spirit from earthly things, the more we feel elevated to a higher level of existence.

Religious Knowledge cannot be ignored under any circumstances. It enables us to secure what money and wealth are incapable of securing, that is happiness and joy on a lasting basis.

Charles Mercieca Ph.D. President of the International Association of Educators for World Peace - IAEWP