INTRODUCTION
Man was born to be happy, but true happiness is not found in the fleeting pleasures the world offers. In a context where promises of immediate gratification and the relativization of values are increasingly common, it is crucial to rediscover the kind of happiness that the great saints, like Saint Gregory the Great and Saint Thomas Aquinas, point us to: a profound and lasting happiness achieved through the cultivation of virtues. This reflection especially seeks to guide young people towards understanding that inner peace and true joy are not found in momentary gratifications but in the commitment to goodness and union with God. The difference between worldly happiness and the happiness that arises from practicing virtue is radical: while the former is fleeting and often illusory, the latter is full, stable, and leads us to fulfill our true purpose.
SAINT GREGORY THE GREAT’S VISION: VIRTUES AND SOCIAL ORDER
Saint Gregory the Great, known for his pastoral and theological approach, considers virtues to be the fundamental basis for both individual life and social order. In his work Regula Pastoralis, he emphasizes that leadership must be grounded in prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. For Gregory, the cardinal virtues are not mere personal qualities but pillars that sustain the entire society. A leader who practices justice promotes the common good; one who exercises prudence guides the community toward wise decisions; fortitude helps resist adversities, and temperance ensures that desires do not dominate reason.
Moreover, in his Commentary on Job (Moralia in Job), Gregory connects social disorder with sin. Vice, which is the antithesis of virtue, destroys social cohesion and leads to injustice and inequality. Saint Gregory also emphasizes the importance of charity and solidarity, seeing in them the essence of Christian social order. Justice, he says, manifests in caring for the weakest and promoting a society where the dignity of each person is respected.
SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS: HAPPINESS IN THE PRACTICE OF VIRTUE
Saint Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, expands on this vision by affirming that happiness, the ultimate end of human beings, is found in the practice of virtue. For Thomas, virtue perfects human nature and directs it toward God. Justice, for example, allows us to live in harmony with others, while prudence guides us in making decisions that lead to true good. Fortitude gives us the strength to face suffering without losing sight of the final goal, and temperance moderates our desires, preventing us from falling into the chaos of vice.
Thomas also introduces the idea of the theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity), which are infused by God and perfect man in his relationship with the divine. The practice of these virtues not only leads to temporal happiness but to eternal beatitude.
CONTRAST WITH THE HEDONISTIC SOCIETY OF TODAY
The contrast between this classical vision of virtues and social order and the reality of modern society is evident. Today, we live in a world where hedonism—the pursuit of pleasure as the ultimate goal—has replaced the ideal of virtue. Vice is not only tolerated but actively promoted. Rampant consumerism, the exaltation of immediate pleasure, and the relativization of morality have led to a society that, instead of seeking the common good, sinks into self-indulgence.
In a hedonistic society, justice is replaced by self-interest, prudence by impulsiveness, fortitude by the avoidance of suffering, and temperance by indulgence. This abandonment of virtues has led to the collapse of social order, reflected in growing inequality, polarization, and the loss of a sense of community.
Saint Gregory the Great and Saint Thomas Aquinas teach us that a society based on virtues is a society that flourishes. True happiness and social order are not achieved through momentary pleasure but through a constant dedication to virtue, which leads us to live in harmony with our nature and with God.
THE NEED TO RECOVER VIRTUES
In the face of a society that fosters vice, the call of Saint Gregory and Saint Thomas to virtue is more urgent than ever. Recovering the practice of virtues is essential not only for personal fulfillment but for the restoration of social order. Virtues are not merely abstract ideals; they are practical guides that direct us toward the common good and enable us to build a society where justice, solidarity, and peace are possible.
CONCLUSION
At first glance, the practice of virtue may seem like a heavy burden, an arduous task that restricts freedom and joy. However, this is a thesis that, though not evident to many, reveals a profound truth: virtue is not a burden, but the key that opens the doors to true happiness. In a world that exalts immediate pleasure and distorts the authentic meaning of life, the youth are called to a heroic challenge: to embrace the practice of virtues as the path to inner peace and lasting joy.
Saint Gregory the Great and Saint Thomas Aquinas teach us that genuine happiness is not found in the fleeting pleasures the world offers but in the cultivation of virtues that perfect our nature and draw us closer to God, the ultimate end of our existence. Virtue orders us internally, frees us from the chains of vice, and equips us to live a full life, in harmony with our Creator and with others.
This call to virtue is, in fact, a call to live life to its fullest, to discover that true joy and lasting peace are found in the commitment to goodness, in self-giving to others, and in union with God. Today, more than ever, we need young people willing to embrace this heroic vocation, young people who dare to live according to virtues, and in doing so, find the happiness that the world cannot offer.
REFERENCES
Gregory the Great. (n.d.). Moralia in Job. Retrieved from https://www.ccel.org/ccel/gregory/job
Gregory the Great. (n.d.). Regula Pastoralis. Retrieved from https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/36011.htm
Thomas Aquinas. (n.d.). Summa Theologica. Retrieved from https://www.newadvent.org/summa/
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