“Beloved children, a short time ago we told you that love without faith isn’t enough to maintain a social order capable of affording a continuous sense of happiness. We might add that compassion without faith isn’t possible. It is true that you can find generous impulses in people without faith, but true compassion can only come from selfless dedication and the absence of personal interest, qualities that only faith is able to inspire. Further, a powerful faith is an abundant source of courage and endurance to carry the cross of earthly life.
Yes, children, the pleasure-lovers and self-seekers fool themselves about their purpose when they try to justify putting all their energies into succeeding on earth. God created you to be happy in Eternity; of that there is no doubt. But for this to happen, you must experience life on earth, which serves the purpose of facilitating your moral improvement.
Your experiences in the physical realm are designed to help you acquire happiness with greater ease. Life offers countless opportunities to practice love. In addition to the ordinary struggles of the journey, the diversity of tendencies, needs, and views among you is another means for self-improvement as it presents countless occasions for love and compassion. In the face of such diversity, it is only through mutual acceptance and some sacrifice that harmony is achieved.
Still, you would be correct to say that humanity is meant to be happy on earth- if you added this proviso: Happiness is to be sought in goodness, not in material pleasures. The history of Christianity tells our martyrs going happily to their deaths. Today, Christians no longer need to face torture and death to affirm their faith; but you do need to sacrifice all selfishness, pride, and vanity. If you are inspired by love and sustained by faith, you will triumph.”