The Pursuit of Beatitude in Catholic Intellectual Thought
What is happiness? This paper explores the Catholic view of true happiness as a trinity of intellectualism, mysticism, and eschatological openness towards God (looking to the true end). It exams the intellectualist perspective, heavily influenced by Aristotle, which emphasizes the rational pursuit of knowledge and understanding of God and His truths. Next, it delves into the mystical aspect, revealed in the teachings of Christ and the tradition of the Church, highlighting the transformative and contemplative union with God as the highest form of spiritual fulfillment. Finally, the paper addresses the anticipatory dimension, characterized by an openness towards the infinite and eternal nature of God, embodying an eschatological vision of a world without end. Together, these three elements provide a comprehensive framework for understanding true happiness in the Catholic tradition.
Some Christians, particularly Catholicism in its best forms and behavior, strongly influenced by Aristotle but filtered through a nuanced interpretation of his work, understand human desires as directed towards a final good—an ultimate end which is desired for its own sake and not for the sake of anything else. This final good, according to (the best of) Catholic thought, is the Beatific Vision, the direct encounter and union with God, who is the source of all goodness and the ultimate fulfillment of all human desires (the “final cause”).
Paragraph 1028-1029 in the Catechism reflect the Beatific Vision this way:
“Because of his transcendence, God cannot be seen as he is, unless he himself opens up his mystery to man’s immediate contemplation and gives him the capacity for it. The Church calls this contemplation of God in his heavenly glory “the beatific vision”: How great will your glory and happiness be, to be allowed to see God, to be honored with sharing the joy of salvation and eternal light with Christ your Lord and God, . . . to delight in the joy of immortality in the Kingdom of heaven with the righteous and God’s friends.
In the glory of heaven the blessed continue joyfully to fulfill God’s will in relation to other men and to all creation. Already they reign with Christ; with him “they shall reign for ever and ever.”
The intellectualist view, also influenced by Aristotle, claims that human beings are fundamentally rational creatures, with our highest faculties directed towards understanding. This understanding is ultimately about knowing God and His truths. Catholic teaching elaborates this by emphasizing that our intellectual and moral virtues are oriented towards knowing and loving God, who is the highest good. As St. Bonaventure states, “The mind’s highest and ultimate end is to be illuminated by the light of God and to rest in Him in perfect peace.
Jesus’s teachings, particularly in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-23), profoundly represent the mystical tradition within Christianity. In these passages, Jesus describes the states of blessedness (“μακάριος” in Kojne Greek or makarios transliterated) that correspond to true happiness and union with God. These Beatitudes highlight the virtues and attitudes that lead to spiritual fulfillment, such as meekness, mercy, purity of heart, and peacemaking. Jesus’s emphasis on blessedness and our remembrance of his Lordship keeps our concept of beatitude in Catholic theology aligned well with him, and illustrates that the ultimate happiness, or blessedness, comes from living in accordance with God’s will and experiencing His grace.
Aristotle’s idea that the highest good must be an activity that is complete in itself fits well with the Catholic conception of contemplation. Aristotle states, “We call final without qualification that which is always desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else” (Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7). You can find Aristotle’s quote in Nicomachean Ethics here: (http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.1.i.html). However, in Catholic theology, contemplation is understood not merely as intellectual apprehension but as a loving, transformative union with God. This contemplation is a gift of grace, going beyond natural reason and involving the whole person—mind, heart, and soul. St. Teresa of Ávila, another great Doctor of the Church, describes this union with God as “an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us” (The Way of Perfection, Chapter 26). You can find St. Teresa of Ávila’s quote in The Way of Perfection here: (https://www.ecatholic2000.com/stteresa/way33.shtml).
Regarding ultimate ends, Catholic teaching agrees that these are not arbitrarily chosen. Instead, they are intrinsic to human nature as created by God. The ultimate end, the Beatific Vision, is what all human beings are naturally ordered towards, even if they are not always consciously aware of it. Meaningful deliberation presupposes an orientation towards this ultimate end, making our moral and intellectual pursuits purposeful and coherent. St. Augustine articulates this intrinsic orientation beautifully: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you” (Confessions, Book I, Chapter 1). You can find St. Augustine’s quote [here](https://www.vatican.va/spirit/documents/spirit_20020821_agostino_en.html). This reflects the Catholic understanding that true fulfillment and ultimate happiness are found in God. Similarly, Aristotle’s idea that the highest good must be an activity that is complete in itself again fits well with the Catholic conception of contemplation. Aristotle states, “If, then, there is some end of the things we do, which we desire for its own sake (everything else being desired for the sake of this), and if we do not choose everything for the sake of something else… clearly this must be the good and the chief good” (Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, Chapter 7; ((http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.1.i.html)).
The Fall of the Devil and the concept of sin in general are understood within this framework. Catholic theology explains that sin arises not merely from ignorance or overpowering passions but from a willful turning away from God. The Devil’s fall, for instance, is seen as a conscious rejection of God’s sovereignty and goodness, driven by pride and self-exaltation. Behind the disobedient choice of our first parents lurks a seductive voice, opposed to God, which makes them fall into death out of envy. Scripture and the Church’s Tradition see in this being a fallen angel, called “Satan” or the “devil.” The Church teaches that Satan was at first a good angel, made by God: “The devil and the other demons were indeed created naturally good by God, but they became evil by their own doing” (CCC 391). Scripture speaks of a sin of these angels. This “fall” consists in the free choice of these created spirits, who radically and irrevocably rejected God and his reign. We find a reflection of that rebellion in the tempter’s words to our first parents: “You will be like God.” The devil “has sinned from the beginning”; he is “a liar and the father of lies” (CCC 392). It is the irrevocable character of their choice, and not a defect in the infinite divine mercy, that makes the angels’ sin unforgivable. “There is no repentance for the angels after their fall, just as there is no repentance for men after death” (CCC 393). This is coherent within the broader framework of free will and the possibility of choosing against God’s will, even when knowing it, due to the misuse of the freedom given by God.
[You can read more in the Catechism of the Catholic Church [here](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P1C.HTM) and [here](https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/media/articles/satan-the-devil-the-fall-of-the-angels/).]
St. Thomas Aquinas’ remarks on beatitude highlight this distinction clearly. He asserts that while everyone naturally desires beatitude in a general sense—understood as the perfect good that satisfies the will—not everyone knows what this perfect good specifically entails. True beatitude, in its fullest sense, is found only in God. Thus, the failure to desire this ultimate good arises from not recognizing God as the source of perfect beatitude, often due to ignorance or a distorted understanding of what constitutes true beatitude.
St. Thomas Aquinas states: “I answer that, Beatitude can be considered in two ways. First according to the general notion of beatitude: and thus, of necessity, every man desires beatitude. For the general notion of beatitude consists in the perfect good, as stated above. But since good is the object of the will, the perfect good of a man is that which entirely satisfies his will. Consequently, to desire beatitude is nothing else than to desire that one’s will be satisfied. And this everyone desires. Secondly, we may speak of Beatitude according to its specific notion, as to that in which it consists. And thus all do not know Beatitude; because they know not in what thing the general notion of beatitude is found. And consequently, in this respect, not all desire it” (Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part, Question 5, Article 8). You can find Aquinas’s detailed discussion on beatitude [here](https://www.newadvent.org/summa/2005.htm).
In summary, the best of Catholicism leverages the insights of traditions such as those of Aristotle, Aquinas, and the Christian mystical tradition to balance faith and reason in guiding believers towards true beatitude. Catholicism, when done well, teaches that human beings are naturally oriented towards God, the ultimate good and source of all fulfillment. Human desires aim at this ultimate end, which is achieved through the Beatific Vision—eternal union with God. Reason and will guide this journey, supported by moral and intellectual virtues, and divine grace. Free will allows acceptance or rejection of this grace, with sin representing a turning away from God. Contemplation, understood as a loving union with God, is the highest human activity, informing virtuous actions. The Church and sacraments provide essential support and grace, helping individuals overcome ignorance and misdirected desires to achieve beatitude in God.
Ultimately, happiness is not reducible. It is in anticipation that one becomes the golden mean of this hope between Aristotle’s genius and Jesus’s perfection:
“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”
AI Generated Bibliography in Chicago Style:
Aristotle. *Nicomachean Ethics*. Book I, Chapter 7. Accessed June 16, 2024. http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.1.i.html.
Catechism of the Catholic Church. “The Fall of the Devil.” Sections 391-393. Accessed June 16, 2024. https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P1C.HTM.
St. Augustine of Hippo. *Confessions*. Book I, Chapter 1. Accessed June 16, 2024. https://www.vatican.va/spirit/documents/spirit_20020821_agostino_en.html.
St. Bonaventure. “The Journey of the Mind to God.” Chapter 1. Accessed June 16, 2024. https://www.ecatholic2000.com/stbonaventure/mind/soul.shtml.
St. Teresa of Ávila. *The Way of Perfection*. Chapter 26. Accessed June 16, 2024. https://www.ecatholic2000.com/stteresa/way33.shtml.
St. Thomas Aquinas. *Summa Theologica*. First Part of the Second Part, Question 5, Article 8. Accessed June 16, 2024. https://www.newadvent.org/summa/2005.htm.
The Holy Bible. Matthew 5:3-12; Luke 6:20-23.
