St Ignatius College - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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WHITHERWARD 13 happy. The possession spoken of is not material possession but rather the possession of the object by the soul. We must find some object which is in itself infinite goodness and truth, for we can only find complete satisfaction of the desires of our higher faculties in such a being. And such a being will be the being toward which man tends as his last end. There is only one such being in all the universe. That being is God, Who is infinitely perfect in all things and incapable of any trace of evil. In Him alone will man find the satisfaction of all his desires: that happiness and peace which he is always seeking. Man's happiness will be found in the knowledge and contemplation of his Creator's per- fections, that is in the exercise of his highest faculties in the highest possible manner. Hence the conclusion forces itself upon us, that the object toward which man tends as his last end is God, and that happiness consists in the pos- session of God. For it is only then that man will reach his greatest perfection in the unlimited use of his highest fac- ulties. When we are inquiring into man's last end, this con- clusion is the only reasonable one. Look as far as we may, read what books we choose, or listen to what theories we can, the only answer we can give, and feel confident in the giving, when asked: Why are you here? is the old- fashioned, true one learned by all of us when scarcely able to pronounce the words: God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next. W. F. M ahoney.

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12 IGNATIAN the level of the brute and tend to degrade him. They cannot be man's last end or give him happiness, for happiness can only be found in making himself more nearly perfect. The pursuit and acquisition of scientific knowledge cannot make man happy for his ability is limited and science is finite. Virtue and its practice cannot be man's last end, for virtue is but a means to perfection. All these taken together will not bring perfect happiness, for they are all finite and our happiness, to- be perfect, must endure forever. We can say then, that such happiness is not attainable in this life. Of course, as we have seen, some do reach and all can reach the condition called content. We feel that all of our desires cannot be satisfied and so endeavor to put them aside and make the best of what we have. It must be admitted that we can attain to an imperfect happiness in this life. This state can be and often is reached, but it is not all that is desired nor can it be said to be our last end. It is sometimes charged that man is unreasonable in this desire, that he ought to have moderation in his desires of happiness as in everything else and hence the happiness attainable here should be enough. The falsity of this is apparent. No one will contend that the sick man is un- reasonable in his desire for boundless health. In fact, if someone told us that he only Wanted a moderate amount of health, we would seriously doubt his sanity. If it is not unreasonable for a man to desire perfection in a material good, how can it be unreasonable for him to want perfect immaterial good? This desire is implanted in man, like the seeking after material good, it is part of his nature, an attri- bute ever present demanding satisfaction, never ceasing in its yearning until it attains fulfilment. Since perfect happiness cannot be found here, it must be found hereafter. In the future life we are sure of eternal duration at least. Having this much, We need now only look for an object in the possession of which we will be perfectly

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Glnntentment EACE is the cry from the mariner's heart, When bestormed on the trackless expanse Of fathomless waters where no friendly mart Stands a bulwark to grim death's advance. Peace cries the Thracian in fury of war, For peace prays the Parthian boldg But it never was shaped by an artisan's lore, Nor bartered for purple or gold. For the cares of the mind are not driven away By the sweep of a king's stately traing And a jewel bedecked and a smiling array Cannot solace a soul's secret pain. Why for the baubles of life do We slave, And bandy with Vanishing time, If burdened with riches we sink in a grave, While seeking a halcyon clime? Worry can compass a brass armored ship, Can outdistance the Heetest of steedsg And noiseless and thicker than mist it will slip Into castles and strongholds of greed. Ah! blessed is he and peaceful his days, Who frets not of his frugal boardg But smiles with content as the sun's parting rays Gild the hovel that claims him its lord. Chas. B. Lafferty.