Victory or Defeat: It Is in our Hands

Clausewitz,¹ the renowned war strategist, asserts that one of the most effective combat manoeuvres consists of triumphing even before the battle begins. How? By taking from the enemy the determination to fight, whether by the tenacity of the resistance or – more effectively – by the threat of an overwhelming onslaught. In other words, the one who robs the adversary of the desire for combat, the courage to persevere, and the hope of victory triumphs without even advancing.

And it is using this stratagem that hell schemes against humanity today. A consummate deceiver, the devil has sufficient experience to perceive the advantage of such a tactic, for through it he has conquered the world from the original fall to the present day.

Exchanging Heaven for earth

“Humanity has material goods as its great dream, its great hope. And whoever turns their back on eternal and spiritual goods, seeking fulfillment in earthly matters, loses all true hope and ends up falling into despondency,”² observes Msgr. João. Now, what is the relationship between hope and the dichotomy between heavenly and temporal goods?

Man’s ultimate end – replies St. Thomas Aquinas centuries in advance – is beatitude, or happiness. We need only ask ourselves what we hope to gain from the efforts we undertake: the possession of some good, be it real or apparent. Supreme happiness, however, must necessarily encompass all joys and last for ever. For this reason, concludes the Angelic Doctor, “God alone constitutes man’s happiness.”³ He who does not direct his intentions towards this end will see his hopes dashed, and may fall into despair.

There are two ways in which this can happen. Firstly, “affections being infected with the love of bodily pleasures” leads to a disregard for spiritual realities. Secondly, through “being over downcast,”⁴ man judges the attainment of a benefit which is difficult to attain – in this case, Heaven – as beyond his reach. In other words, the belief that eternal happiness does not exist or that it is impossible to attain are the two reasons that rob one of hope. And of the victory…

“Curing” oneself with poison

Once hope is taken away, what remains? Acedia. Aquinas follows St. John Damascene’s definition in describing this vice as “‘a crushing sadness’ which produces such a depression in the human spirit that one has no desire to do anything at all. […] For this reason, acedia entails a certain aversion to action.”⁵ In severe cases, it goes so far as to suppress “the voice, because the voice, more than any external movement, expresses thoughts and desires.”⁶

On the other hand, depression, unlike acedia, is not in itself culpable. Today it is considered an illness whose causes involve a complex interplay of biological, genetic, environmental and psychological factors. Human morality, in turn, can be influenced by this illness, to the extent that it even affects the dominance of judgement.

When this choice of the will excludes the supernatural, bitterness tends to increase: without direction, man will seek to quench his infinite thirst for happiness in sensory pleasures, such as gluttony or lust. The result of this process is that, by indulging in vices and actually experiencing a certain fleeting pleasure, he will always desire more, feeling increasingly unfulfilled: after the sip comes the tumbler; after the tumbler, the bottle; after the bottle, the barrel… and finally – as is well known – comes frustration. It is like treating a patient with the very cause of the illness one is trying to combat.

We are thus faced with two approaches transcending, although not necessarily excluding, clinical methods for dealing with depression. On one hand, there are actions that exacerbate the condition: the unrestrained pursuit of sensual pleasures, particularly those contrary to natural law. On the other, there are approaches that gradually dispel depression: hope placed in divine benefits.

The passion of the soul most harmful to the body

Sacred Scripture reminds us that “sorrow results in death” (Sir 38:18). Conversely, joy prolongs life!

Msgr. João⁷ illustrated this reality by recalling cases of terminally ill patients who, despite the prognosis, exceeded all survival expectations. The doctors, astonished, after a thorough study, identified the cause of those obstinately resilient lives: joy, especially when grounded in spiritual principles.

Indeed, in 2022, an analytical review of two hundred and eight relevant publications was published, highlighting eight studies, which concluded that “Compared to standard/other usual therapies for treating depression, religion-based interventions provide superior effects.”⁸

Furthermore, according to recent studies, depression can cause various health problems, such as an increased risk of stroke, diabetes and obesity, “partly due to metabolic, immuno-inflammatory, autonomic and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation.”⁹ To a large extent, this is an effect of sadness, which, “of all the soul’s passions […] is most harmful to the body.”¹⁰

Is all sadness bad?

Sadness is a passion of the soul and, as such, is neutral in itself.¹¹ Its moral value therefore depends on its object. For example, feeling sad at the death of a relative or at a crime that has taken place is part of the natural order.

There are occasions, however, when it is not easy to distinguish whether sadness is good or not. We can discern this by its fruits (cf. Mt 7:16): it will be beneficial when it promotes our spiritual life, and harmful when it causes us to regress.

The same may be said of joy. Nothing compares to the holy joy that comes from virtue, whose greatest treasure is a clear conscience, especially after a good Confession. It is the confident joy of one who feels loved in every circumstance.

What a difference, however, between true and false joys! In reality, the latter cannot properly be called joys, for they are fleeting, vile, frustrating…

The victory of our century

Now, the rise of pseudo-joy precedes and heralds the advance of deep sorrow.

The great battle to attain our ultimate goal – beatitude – may result in either a crushing defeat or a magnificent victory.

Defeat will consist in giving up even before fighting, before seeking the heroism of virtue, before experiencing the delights of renouncing transitory goods in favour of those that endure. The dawn of victory, in turn, will be awaiting me after my very first efforts on the path to holiness.

Contrary to what the sedative-preaching world would have us believe, the Christian’s hope consists in the firm conviction that victory, ultimately, belongs to Christ, who shed His Blood from the heights of Calvary to redeem us from sin. Therefore, in the face of the difficulties, sorrows and even illnesses that dampen our spirits, we must always keep our eyes fixed on the Cross, our sole and unshakable hope. 

Notes:

¹ Cf. CLAUSEWITZ, Carl von. De la guerra. Barcelona: Obelisco, 2021, p.47.

² CLÁ DIAS, EP, João Scognamiglio. Homily. São Paulo, 29/12/2007.

³ ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. Summa Theologiæ. I-II, q.2, a.8.

⁴ Idem, II-II, q.20, a.4.

⁵ Idem, q.35, a.1.

⁶ Idem, I-II, q.35, a.8.

⁷ Cf. CLÁ DIAS, EP, João Scognamiglio. Homily. São Paulo, 11/1/2007.

⁸ MARQUES, Adilson et al. Religious-based Interventions for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Experimental Studies. In: Journal of Affective Disorders. Amsterdam. N.309 (July 2022), p.289.

⁹ PENNINX, Brenda et al. Understanding the Somatic Consequences of Depression: Biological Mechanisms and the Role of Depression Symptom Profile. In: BMC Medicine. London. Vol. XI. No.129 (May 2013), p.1.

¹⁰ ST. THOMAS AQUINAS, op. cit., I-II, q.37, a.4.

¹¹ Cf. Idem, q.24, a.1.