In his 2013 encyclical, The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis warned Catholics, and pastoral workers in particular, of the temptation to defeatism, which turns us into sourpusses and pessimists, overcome with disillusionment and anxiety (I love that the word “sourpuss” is officially written in a papal document!) Thirteen years later, his words hold true. Every day, I encounter faithful Catholics who seem to have forgotten about the Resurrection! Instead of carrying the joy of the Gospel, we carry the weight of the world and the Church: political division, parish mergers and closures, clergy scandals, human rights abuses and our own personal struggles. The world—and even the Church—can be a difficult place, but if we as Christians fall into the same pitfalls of despair as the rest of society, then what difference has our faith made in our lives? What does the Church have to offer to those looking for a different way to live in this world?
Created for Happiness
God does not want us to be miserable. We were created for happiness! If you ask any parent what their hopes and dreams are for their child, you often hear that above anything else they just want their child to be happy. Happiness seems to be the ultimate desire—what we spend our lives pursuing. People of faith know that the search is actually for God, since only in God do we find true, lasting happiness. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to Himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for” (27).
Of course, we realize that this is not a naïve optimism that once a person finds God, they will always be smiling and never experience sadness again. The happiness that God offers is a deep abiding joy that can be present even in the midst of suffering. Recently, I accompanied a catechumen who was facing a difficult cancer treatment. He shared with me that while he suffered so much, he also had a deep sense of joy in God’s goodness. He was so grateful that he had his new relationship with God during this experience and couldn’t imagine facing the pain and uncertainty without prayer and the knowledge that God would be faithful to him. In the depths of our sorrows we can trust that God is present and that He is working for our good.
While our ultimate happiness will only be fully realized when we are united with God—the source of all happiness—in heaven God gives us glimpses of heaven on Earth and calls us to assist Him in bringing heaven to Earth. As the psalmist says, “I believe I shall see the goodness of the Lord, in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). The Christian life does not enslave us to a bitter existence toiling on Earth for the promise of future happiness—rather the Gospel of Jesus Christ is Good News for the living!
Called to Happiness
All of the baptized share in the universal vocation to holiness and are called by God to attain holiness through the circumstances of their lives. Our vocation—to priesthood, religious life, married life or single life—and our secondary vocations to a work, ministry or service lead us not only to holiness but to happiness. My favorite quote about vocations comes from Presbyterian minister and author Frederick Buechner: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Our vocation, our work for God for our lives, should bring us deep gladness. Maybe this work is not always easy or pleasant, but we are fulfilled in a deep and abiding way when we are living out our vocation.
Early in my marriage, when my husband and I were suffering with infertility, I could feel myself being drawn into a very dark place of despair and doubt in God’s goodness. After some time in therapy (never underestimate the value of mental health treatment!), I recalled that when we got engaged, a priest friend asked us to reflect on what difference our marriage could make in the world. What were we called to do for God with our unique relationship? I changed my prayer from asking God for a child, to asking God for clarity in our vocation. If God was not calling us to parenthood in this season, to what was He calling us? I knew that God wasn’t calling me to remain stagnant and wallow in my misery! What did He want us to do here and now with what we had been given? This path led us to foster care, which was certainly the most difficult thing we had ever done—but also the most fulfilling. While I still experience sadness for my infertility, I also experience great joy in knowing that I am following the path God has worked out for my happiness.
The Catechism defines vocation as: “The calling or destiny we have in this life and hereafter. God has created the human person to love and serve Him; the fulfillment of this vocation is eternal happiness” (glossary, “vocation”). Many people despair because they do not see a purpose for their lives. Today, we spend much of our time scrolling social media, watching other people live their lives to the fullest and feeling like our life is lacking. Whether it is a job, a ministry with the Church, caring for your family or some simple way of sharing your gifts with others, God calls us to a life that not only fulfills us, but works with Him to fulfill His plan.
Cultivating Happiness
Our vocation is not for our personal fulfillment and happiness only, but serves the fulfillment and happiness of others as well! It is our unique contribution to God’s plan for the redemption of the world. We spread the Good News through our love and care for others, through our words of hope in God and through our joy!
Our everyday lives should look different from the non-believer, because we have the source of eternal happiness. We know the end of the story—God will be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28)—and we have been invited to participate in this story of redemption. Others should see our life and want what we have. As 1 Peter says, “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Peter 3:15). Our hope, our happiness, needs to be palpable so that others can see it.
First, we must cultivate our own happiness through the practice of our faith. Participating in the sacraments regularly—especially receiving the Eucharist and Confession—unites us with God, the source of happiness. Regularly praying and reading Scripture helps us to know the voice of God and be in tune with God’s call for our lives. Building a community of Christian friends who can pray for us and support us—as we do the same for them—encourages us to keep our faith at the center of our lives. When we catch ourselves falling into cynicism, defeatism and pessimism about the state of our Church and our world, we can go back to the joy of the Gospel, knowing that Jesus has already defeated death and evil. Then, we participate in this joy by living out our vocation to serve others, being the change that the world needs, spreading our happiness as we go.
No More Sourpusses
If Catholics appear to be miserable, contribute to negativity in public discourse and are bored with life, how does that encourage others to take an interest in our faith? Let us rekindle the happiness that we have in the saving love of Jesus and allow that to lead us through our days. Those of us who serve the Church in public ways have a duty to share the joy of the Gospel! In October, I look forward to helping the lay ministers of the Diocese of Youngstown rediscover the spark of joy in their vocation so that they can be more effective evangelists!
Darcy Osby is the director of Faith Formation at Saint Aidan Parish in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, where she leads Baptism preparation, infant and toddler ministry, children’s faith formation and OCIA. She has been serving in parish catechetical ministry for 14 years. Osby has a Master of Divinity from the Catholic Theological Union and is currently pursuing a certificate in Spiritual Direction through Loyola University of Chicago. She served as a consultant for Sadlier Publishing’s “Christ in Us” curriculum, was a regular contributor to Loyola Press’ blog “Catechist’s Journey” and is the author of Liturgy Training Publications’ “2026 Sunday Prayers for Catechists.” She is an associate with the Sisters of Mercy and is a founding member of the Dorothea Project for promoting Catholic Social Teaching.
Osby will be the keynote speaker at the Diocese of Youngstown’s Ministry Day on Saturday, October 17, at 9 a.m., at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Louisville. The conference—which includes dozens of break-out sessions and networking and communal prayer opportunities—is open to anyone serving their church community, paid or volunteer. Tickets are available now at https://doy.org/ministry-day-2026/.
