True Happiness... How Psychology Gets it Wrong - 13th Sun of Ordinary Time - Episode 32
Dr. Peter and Dr. Gerry discuss how secular psychology “gets it wrong” when it comes to true happiness in this week’s episode of Be With the Word. They explain how psychological practices based on a Catholic worldview provides a different path to joy.
Overall Takeaway
Although there is some overlap of good that comes from both secular and Catholic-based psychology, they are often diametrically opposed when it comes to finding true happiness. Humanistic psychology is often focused on self while psychology based on a Catholic worldview is focused on selflessness.
Key Verses from Sunday Readings
“Since he visits us often, let us arrange a little room on the roof
and furnish it for him with a bed, table, chair, and lamp,
so that when he comes to us he can stay there.”
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me”
“Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is a righteous man
will receive a righteous man’s reward.”
Where Catholicism Meets Psychology
There’s a theme in this week’s readings that focus on service and hospitality for those called to a more direct and active mission for God. In helping those called to achieve their mission, we achieve ours.
We are called to live out our duties of state, and within that, we are asked to look for ways to be selfless in serving Christ.
Many people make sacrifices from a worldly perspective: giving up time with family to succeed in a career, leaving homeland to serve in the military, passing up expensive items for financial security.
Are we willing to make the same level of difficult sacrifices for Christ? Psychologically, it’s harder to pick up the cross to serve God in a radical way.
We are steeped in the message that secular psychology delivers: if we reach our full human potential, we will be happy.
The gospel instead tells us that in giving up worldly things to serve God, we undergo a process of sanctification that will radically transform us to finding our true selves and true happiness.
We can’t understand the cross with human reason only, it requires divine revelation to accept the “hard road” especially when secular psychology pushes us to find the easier way, the way of safety and comfort, the path that we’re naturally inclined to take.
Action Item
Pray about something you can do that’s selfless for someone else. Really listen to someone you don’t like or don’t agree with. Let others go first, in line or on the road. Make a financial sacrifice. Replace the time you spend playing video games or watching TV with prayer or service this week.