I Want You to Be Happy

November 11, 2024
Pope Francis (Life) delivers a series of compassionate if flat meditations on seeking joy in the mundane. Contending that God “created us because he wants us to be happy”—and that despite earthly challenges, he has given humans the tools to cultivate a sunnier perspective—Francis encourages readers to perform acts of charity; to love others rather than get swept up in materialistic lifestyles that spark “unhappiness, apathy and... boredom”; and take risks even if it means making mistakes. Much of his advice boils down to centering one’s life around God and other people, which he characterizes as a “revolutionary” act in a world ruled by self-obsession and superficiality. While such lessons may not offer much new insight or be as “against-the-grain” as the author suggests (even as he frequently relies on inspirational quotes from Francis of Assissi, J.R.R. Tolkien, and others), Francis’s down-to-earth prose and matter-of-fact guidance makes for a sound reminder to seek the good in a world filled with bad news. Catholics will be reassured and inspired.