Is peace of mind most elusive of all?

3rd January 2012   ·   0 Comments

By Fr. Jerome LeDoux
Contributing Columnist

In a most prescient moment, Emperor/philosopher/gladiator Marcus Aurelius may have happened upon the master theme of Advent, Christmas and indeed of our whole life when he warned how uncontrolled anger can shorten our life by a dozen years or so. Very curiously, psychologists, psychiatrists and health scientists have concluded the same.

Almost giving a nod to Marcus Aurelius, Pope St. Gregory the Great (540 – 604 AD) was the first to list seven capital sins: Pride, avarice, gluttony, lust, sloth, envy and anger. One could argue that all these seven poisons tend to shorten our years on earth and at the same time deprive us of peace of mind and the joys attendant to it.

It is safe to say that “peace on earth to people of good will” is impossible to share with those who don’t have peace of mind. But, while we can agree with “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me,” how do we begin that journey? For sure, we must dig out the very roots of the capital sins from every segment of our life.

As with all difficult enterprises – and this is one of the most difficult – we must begin by eliminating the negative things that weigh down our life and the joy we pursue. We can complicate this task by pursuing enjoyment in the most elementary things of life.

“I just want to enjoy my life,” is heard constantly from sundry people of diverse ethnic and national origins, family backgrounds, personality, temperament, character, profession, walk of life, vocation and status in their community. By the way, this simple desire falls far short of the gravity of any of the capital sins. Yet, it may abet them.

Perhaps gluttony is the capital sin most people find hardest to deal with since it impacts eating, a function that none of us can avoid without getting sick or even dying. Further, it is evident in many ways that food is the peerless seducer in our lives.

Few people would readily admit that the attraction of food is nearly irresistible and that, once established, its addiction rivals all and surpasses most other addictions. For a huge number of people, food is certainly the strongest addiction in their lives.

Traditionally, the New Year is rung in with fervent resolutions of all kinds. It is not surprising that resolutions about diet invariably rank among the top projects for the New Year. Yet, while people want the desired results, most are loath to pay the price because food is Icon Number One in the customs, traditions and celebrations of all peoples.

In this context, “I just want to enjoy my life” takes on a poignant but dangerous aura that threatens to sabotage our best intentions and often succeeds in doing just that. Join this to the self-pity indulged in by so many folks, and you have a ready-to-fail attitude toward Icon Number One, the peerless seducer in the lives of most of us.

Nutritionists and health scientists admit openly that addiction to Icon Number One comes through the five deadly whites: White flour, white rice, but especially salt, sugar and fat. Fast-food shops know this and go out of their way to lure us to them. It is tragic that this addiction spawns obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac disease and cancer.

Food’s worst aspect is that usually the tastiest is the deadliest. “If it’s good to you, it’s not good for you!” is the crunching statement frequently heard from our elders. “A moment on the lips, forever on the hips!” is a different twist to the same problem.

Beyond illness, peace of mind is the main casualty from the mantra, “I just want to enjoy my life.” Serious spiritual disorders may be eventual casualties as well. But isn’t the simple desire to enjoy one’s life an innocent longing that springs from our very nature in a most reasonable way, considering that we live this life only one time?

No one can argue against that logic, for God did not make us to be unhappy, but rather that we might have life and have it to the full, as Jesus reminds us in John 10:10. A full life, of course, albeit it at times painful and difficult, must be an enjoyable one. Yet, “I just want to enjoy my life” opens the door to a dangerously indulgent attitude.

“Happy New Year!” is load­ed with the tones, ov­er­tones and ironies of our strong desire “just to enjoy our life” and make the best of our stay here en route to heaven.

This article was originally published in the January 2, 2012 edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper