Below is a translation of a video in French, in which the Catholic website aleteia.org interviews Isolde Cambournac, Doctor of Theology and passionate scholar of Saint Thomas Aquinas. She is the author of the book Heureux comme Dieu, le bonheur selon saint Thomas d'Aquin (Happy as God: Happiness According to Saint Thomas Aquinas).
One thing is certain: we all desire happiness. No one wishes to be unhappy, and it is impossible not to want happiness. However, we do not all define happiness in the same way. For some, it is success; for others, it is family or wealth. According to Saint Thomas, if we recognize God as the ultimate source of our happiness—what we truly long for in the depths of our being—we can experience happiness in all circumstances.
What Is happiness according to Saint Thomas Aquinas?
For Saint Thomas Aquinas, happiness consists in possessing the highest good. From an objective standpoint, for a believer, the highest good is found in God, the source of all goodness.
But how do we grasp or possess God? Saint Thomas explains that through our intellect, we can comprehend God by seeing and contemplating Him. This leads to two key insights:
1. Happiness is not a passive state. It is an active experience—the act of seeing and contemplating God.
2. Happiness and joy are not the same. Happiness, for Saint Thomas, is first and foremost the vision of God. Joy naturally follows from this vision.
At first glance, seeing God may seem unattainable. However, in this earthly life, we can perceive traces of God's presence. We can experience His goodness through creation. Just as an artist leaves an imprint on their work, the Creator leaves His mark on His creatures. By observing and admiring creation, we can be led back to the Creator.
God can also be encountered through prayer. Prayer is a preparation for contemplation; it is a school of desire. It teaches us to long for the highest good—God Himself. Through prayer, our hearts gradually learn to desire the goodness that God wishes to give us.
How do we know when we're pursuing happiness in the wrong way?
Sometimes, we seek ultimate fulfillment in the wrong places. We pursue happiness in things that are indeed good—such as family, success, or wealth—but these are finite and cannot fully satisfy us. According to Saint Thomas, these are not bad things in themselves, but they are limited, and sooner or later, they will leave us wanting more.
Disappointment often arises when we expect something to bring lasting fulfillment, only to realize that it falls short. For example, imagine it is a cold January day, and you long to sit by the fire. At first, the warmth is comforting, but after a while, you start to feel too hot. This discomfort is a reminder that no earthly pleasure is completely satisfying.
True happiness—the kind we deeply long for—comes from being in the presence of a good that fulfills us completely, without limitation. Only God can provide this. Through our small disappointments, our desire for happiness is elevated, and faith allows us to glimpse the ultimate good that alone can satisfy us.
Can we experience complete happiness in this life?
Perfect happiness, or complete beatitude, is not attainable in this life. We all instinctively know this; if it were possible, we would have already achieved it. However, Saint Thomas teaches that we can experience imperfect beatitude—meaning we can already taste something of God's goodness.
While we can find joy in the small pleasures of everyday life, perfect happiness is only possible in the next life, when we will see God face to face.
Isolde Cambournac
Subscribe