You know, it’s funny how much of human history revolves around the same big questions: What is life really about? What’s the ultimate purpose? Is it happiness? Justice? Love? These questions aren’t just abstract ideas; they shape how we live and what we strive for. In the Christian tradition, this journey leads to the concept of the highest good (summum bonum).

But here’s the thing: while the common good is crucial for building a flourishing society, it falls short of satisfying humanity’s deepest desires. Why? Because the common good belongs to the temporal realm, whereas the highest good transcends it. Let’s unpack this by exploring some philosophical and theological insights, as well as their practical implications.

The Highest Good: Philosophical and Theological Perspectives

The idea of the “highest good” has deep roots in philosophy, with Plato and Aristotle agreeing that all human actions aim toward some form of good. They distinguished between two main types of goods:

1. Physical Goods (e.g., health, wealth, pleasure), represented by happiness.
2. Moral Goods (e.g., virtue, integrity), represented by virtue.

But here’s where it gets tricky: how do happiness and virtue relate? Are they in harmony, or do they conflict? This tension has led to three major philosophical perspectives on the highest good:

1. Eudæmonism: The highest good is happiness.

• Socrates argued that true happiness arises from rational joy rather than material possessions.
• Aristotle suggested that happiness is tied to virtuous activity, with the highest form being contemplation.

1. Rational Deontologism: The highest good is virtue.

• Plato and the Stoics emphasized that virtue and conformity to reason are paramount.
• Kant argued that the highest good must also include happiness, but only when aligned with moral virtue.

1. Rational Eudæmonism: Combines happiness and virtue.

• This synthesis was fully developed by Christian philosophers like St. Thomas Aquinas, who taught that the ultimate happiness is found in the knowledge and love of God. For Aquinas, God is the source of all being and goodness, and union with Him is humanity’s ultimate end.

The Christian understanding of the highest good goes beyond philosophy. It proposes that true happiness and virtue are reconciled in God, whose infinite goodness fulfills every human desire. This idea is beautifully reflected in Matthew 6:33:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

The Role of the Common Good

Now, let’s shift gears and talk about the common good. What is it? Simply put, the common good refers to the conditions within a society that allow individuals and communities to thrive. It encompasses justice, peace, and access to resources. Catholic social teaching emphasizes the moral obligation to promote the common good, recognizing that we’re not isolated individuals but members of a larger human family.

As St. Paul teaches in Galatians 6:2:

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

However, while the common good is vital, it’s not the highest good. Here’s why:

Why the Common Good Falls Short

1. Temporal vs. Eternal

The common good is rooted in the temporal order—it’s about improving life here and now. But human beings long for more than temporal satisfaction. As Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us:

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart.”

Only God, the highest good, can fulfill that infinite longing.

2. Means vs. End

The common good is a means to an end—it creates the conditions for individuals to pursue their ultimate purpose. But it’s not the end itself. For example, a just society can foster virtue, but it cannot guarantee union with God.

3. Fragmentation of Goods

The common good often involves balancing competing interests, which can lead to compromises. By contrast, the highest good—God—unites all partial goods in Himself. In Him, every desire finds resolution.

4. The Reality of Sin

Sin is a major obstacle to achieving the common good. Corruption, selfishness, and injustice undermine even the best human efforts. As Romans 8:20-21 explains:

“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

In contrast, the highest good—God—is perfect and unchanging, offering redemption and eternal fulfillment.

The Christian Vision: God as the Source of All Being

To understand the highest good, we must recognize that God is not merely the “highest being” among many but the source of all being. This insight, central to St. Thomas Aquinas, changes everything.

God as Being Itself

Rather than existing within creation, God is Being itself (ipsum esse subsistens), the reason anything exists at all. Without Him, there is no creation. This is why James 1:17 declares:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.”

True Fulfillment in God

For Aquinas and other Christian thinkers, the ultimate happiness is found in the knowledge and love of God. This is what Jesus promises in John 17:3:

“And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

This union with God transcends the limitations of the temporal order, offering eternal fulfillment that the common good, by its nature, cannot provide.

An Analogy: Paths to the Summit

Think of the highest good as the summit of a mountain. The common good? It’s the well-marked paths that guide us upward. The paths are crucial—they support our journey. But they aren’t the ultimate destination.

Similarly, the common good creates the conditions for individuals to seek the highest good—God Himself. Without the summit in view, the paths lose their meaning.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the common good matters. It’s essential for building a just and flourishing society. But it’s not the end of the story. The ultimate purpose of human life is union with God, the source of all being and the fulfillment of every desire.

As Revelation 22:13 declares:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

In God, happiness and virtue are perfectly reconciled. The common good prepares the way, but only the highest good completes the journey, offering eternal joy and fulfillment in the knowledge and love of God.

Recommended Reading

1. The Catechism of the Catholic Church – A foundational text for understanding Catholic teachings on the highest good and the common good.
2. Confessions by St. Augustine – A classic work exploring humanity’s longing for God.
3. Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas – Especially his treatment of God as the highest good.
4. Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle – On happiness and virtue as central to human flourishing.
5. Gaudium et Spes (Joy and Hope) – A Vatican II document on the Church’s role in the temporal and eternal spheres.