Knowlege is Bliss

I used to buy into the popular saying that ignorance is bliss. People tend to be happier when they have no idea what is going on around them right? I mean if you simply ignore all the bad things in the world and only focus on the good things in life then you are sure to live a life of happiness. It's simply better to be clueless than to have a clue. After all, if I gain knowledge I'm bound to not like what I learn and once I learn it there is no going back. I'm better off never knowing and living in bliss right?

We are not called to live a life of ignorance. Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone thought that ignorance was the way to supreme happiness? Nothing positive would ever get done! I seem to remember another popular phrase: knowledge is power. We should learn something every day and put that knowledge to good use. We should never be afraid of knowledge. We can not possibly make a difference in this world without knowledge. The more we know, the greater understanding we have about this world we live in and the gifts God has given to us. We owe it to ourselves and the people around us to gain as much knowledge as possible and to go out and be a teacher. We can change people's minds and hearts with knowledge. With knowledge and determination we can do miraculous deeds.

Saint Thomas Aquinas (perhaps my favorite saint) is known for his popular writing Summa Theologiae. Summa Theologiae was a thirteenth century summarization of theological teachings of the time. It was a time when faith and reason were brought into question and Saint Thomas Aquinas eloquently and reasonably defended the existence of God. He did not resist knowledge, but welcomed it with open arms and used this knowledge to reinforce his faith as opposed to tear it down. His common sense approach to explaining the existence of God and the importance of the connection between faith and reason was badly needed in a time of cynicism.

We must be like Saint Thomas Aquinas and continuously search for more knowledge so that we can strengthen our faith and improve the lives of those people around us. Ignorance does us no good. We may think that we are happy living in our own fairytale world, but this world is real and there are real issues in this world. We do not live in a bubble and we can not possibly live a fulfilling life through ignorance. Knowledge gives us the power to make changes in our imperfect world. Knowledge provides us with satisfaction. Knowlege when applied to make positive changes, can be a bliss that the ignorant will never feel or know. Hunger and thirst to know God more closely and completely. We should make it our life's goal to know, love and to serve God.