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One of the most serious spiritual maladies of our day is the desire for an easy, comfortable life.
It is a life where there is no struggle (Life should be easy!), no self-discipline (We hate to say “no” to ourselves!), and no real discomfort.
There are so-called preachers that proclaim this message of a comfortable life and self-fulfillment. Shouldn’t God make our life easy if we love him? He certainly has the power to do so. We must realize that to seek God is antithetical to a comfortable, easy life.
Jesus, the Son of God, answering a question on whether many will be saved exclaims, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able” (Lk 13:24).
The Greek word here translated as “strive” means to “1. contend for a prize, esp. in public games 2. fight” (“A Greek-English Lexicon,” by Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott). Thus, we must strive — fight, struggle, contend — to enter the narrow door, which is the door to eternal life.
St. Paul likens the spiritual life to an athletic contest. You win only after great effort and discipline: “Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable garland (crown of victory), but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly” (1 Cor 9:24-27).
Athletes follow a strict training and dietary regime in order to have the strength, endurance and skill necessary to win.
The dedication of Olympic athletes is impressive. Thus, how much more should we be dedicated to and striving after union with the Blessed Trinity who loves us!
The athlete trains to win a victory crown that ultimately fades away. We, however, are to pursue the infinitely valuable crown of victory — eternal life.
Practically speaking, we must be resolved to force ourselves to pray, practice virtue, deny the passions, obey God, and love our neighbor, for often we will not “want” to do these things. We will often need to force ourselves, with the unfelt assistance of the Holy Spirit, to choose the good and to avoid evil.
We will “train” for the entirety of our lives. When we fall, we must get up and repent by the help of the Lord. Let us set aside the self-seeking of a comfortable life and pick up the cross of love.
As published in Horizons, Nov. 11, 2018.
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