7. Joy Is the Human’s Noblest Act.
7. Joy is the human’s noblest act.7
That “joy is the human’s noblest act” might amaze us. Really? Is Joy our noblest act? Why not fighting for justice or dying for a noble cause? Aquinas reminds us that even justice exists for the sake of joy—a just world is a balanced world and is therefore conducive to joy for the many, not just the few. Justice is not an end in itself, but joy is. To remain in joy through hardship and loss, disappointment and struggle, is no small thing. It demands a deep spiritual life. A depth of soul. Working for justice in order to share the joy, renders joy more available to more people.
Furthermore, joy is part of compassion. As Eckhart, faithful disciple of Aquinas that he was, put it: “What happens to another whether it be a joy or a sorrow happens to me.” Eckhart is defining what compassion is—it is, on the one hand, a celebration of our common joy; on the other hand, however, it is an acknowledgment of our common suffering as we fight the good fight for healing and justice (so that joy can return). As we have seen, it is the playing out of our interdependence.
Both Eckhart and Aquinas say that “God is compassion.” It follows that to become compassionate is godlike, as Jesus noted: “Be you compassionate as your Creator in heaven is compassionate” (Luke 6:36). Thus joy and compassion are indeed our noblest acts—our most godlike acts.
Might this change everything? The way we do education? Politics? Religion? Economics? Art? What would happen if we built a civilization on joy? What values would change?
Who is leading this “noblest of acts”? Who is showing us the paths to get there?
Aquinas teaches that “love is the cause of joy,” and he offers proof: “Everyone takes joy in their beloved,” and “love and joy constitute the basis of all attraction—love is the origin and joy is the end result” (118, 433). Thus love and joy go together, so both love and joy constitute our noblest acts. Aquinas reminds us that “the only person who truly has joy is one who lives in love” (116). The consciousness of God is about love and joy, and the same is true of human consciousness. A call to love is a call to joy. And a call to joy is a call to love and sharing that love.
Religion is
supreme thankfulness
or gratitude