Inconvenience
We sure are strange people. Especially when it comes to convenience and desires. I've heard multiple people claim that there's not a hell because it doesn't seem feasible. After all, why would a God who loves us damn us to eternal hellfire? We begin to believe this way because the idea of not going to heaven is inconvenient to us. That idea of inconvenience tells us the work's not really worth it, and hell probably doesn't exist, because Jesus died so we wouldn't have inconvenience in the first place.
That is a child's dream. We are told to leave our possessions, take up our cross, and follow Him. We are told to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, anoint the sick, visit the imprisoned, and support those in poverty. We're told to live for others. To love, and love in return. Sadly, for this world, that is where life becomes inconvenient to our personal, material lives. Why is this? We still feel this pit in our stomach when we see those in poverty, and we feel their joy when we give them drink, clothe them, and visit them. Clearly, this instinctive feeling in our heart is Good.
So why would we turn away from that? The answer is quite simple. As a society, we have come to believe in this dream to become rich, and if we are not rich, we are not successful. It is nearly gluttony for money, clearly avarice, greed. Any obstacles in the path to that goal must be ignored and forgotten completely. It is strange that people would feel this way considering the situation I described just a little bit earlier. Certainly, there is something interfering in our potential goodness. It is none other than the devil himself, tempting us with material, earthly things that break us apart from the ones whom we dread to love. He has introduced convenience to our lives. Short lived convenience, yes, but it seems to be successfully targeting an area of our weakness.
Through our pampered lives, how are we not to believe that we have this one-way ticket to heaven? We are blessed enough to be living in a comfortable house with an excess amount of money to purchase many things that are bound to become obsolete in a year, but we have come to expect this as the default life to live. It's not even convenient to us. It's inconvenient and maddening when something goes missing. You say that this is ridiculous. And I too can't help but look at that and think, logically, that that is unfair. But it is true. Imagine if you were stripped away of everything you owned. Nonmaterial things included. You would be quite sad and lost. But imagine if, after many months, you were given your family back. A few months later, you were given your best friends back. It isn't an issue of convenience there. It is glorious, joyful, incredible. We don't understand this now because of our goal in life, as it is centered on the wrong finish right now. Of course, when I say this, I'm assuming the bandwagon dream of a high-paying job. What about a true family? What about maintaining a best friend or two? What about your faith? What about the responsibility for your children's faith? Those aren't directly intertwined with society's vision for you. Society believes in a political marriage that can be broken off when things "don't work out." It believes in throwing away the love and trust of your friends for a stressful high paying job. It believes in putting away God for a while, so you can feel better about yourself.
It believes in the convenience of you and your own. This, ultimately, has taken true religion out of many of our lives. The obligation for Mass is early in the morning/during the football game. The idea of mortal sin sends a shiver down your spine, and you'd rather not think about it and its consequences. We think that all we have to do is believe that God is up there, and that will be enough to grant us eternal bliss. However, we believe in a convenient God, a God painted by us for our convenience. Problem is, He isn't. At least, not to society's understanding of the word.
The Holy Spirit came down to give us courage and wisdom to teach others, whether it be by word or by living. We should start in a place of similar origin. We should start by something inconvenient. We should begin by forgiving. That is a lifelong journey, to be sure, but it needn't be done all at once. Our friends first, our unknowns second, our enemies third. Forgiveness is a necessary step to love. Jesus loved us to His death on the cross so that we may experience forgiveness and forgive in return. He did not tell us that we're home free because He rose. Quite the opposite. He wants us to continue to love, to continue to forgive for as long as we live.
For some, the effort isn't worth it. God is a gentleman, and He won't force anyone to do so. He is saddened, however, by the fact that they do not feel that He is worth the effort, that He is inconvenient. Not the path that's inconvenient, but He Himself, inconvenient. At Judgment, God won't make them change their minds. If they do not want Him, he will not force Himself upon them. He is a gentleman. And He will leave their souls, forever. For that is the truth of heaven and hell. If we want God, if we want Love, then He will be overjoyed to spend eternity with us. Seems simple. But love is something we cannot comprehend. Let us make that our journey anyway. It will be inconvenient journey, bound to be riddled with hurt and sadness. But recall the sadness you feel for those you don't know who live in poverty. Recall the joy you receive when you care for them and they show their thanks. It is a taste that you must keep with you.
Take that lead and run with it. Do not fear the idea of falling. Jesus fell three times.
That is a child's dream. We are told to leave our possessions, take up our cross, and follow Him. We are told to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, anoint the sick, visit the imprisoned, and support those in poverty. We're told to live for others. To love, and love in return. Sadly, for this world, that is where life becomes inconvenient to our personal, material lives. Why is this? We still feel this pit in our stomach when we see those in poverty, and we feel their joy when we give them drink, clothe them, and visit them. Clearly, this instinctive feeling in our heart is Good.
So why would we turn away from that? The answer is quite simple. As a society, we have come to believe in this dream to become rich, and if we are not rich, we are not successful. It is nearly gluttony for money, clearly avarice, greed. Any obstacles in the path to that goal must be ignored and forgotten completely. It is strange that people would feel this way considering the situation I described just a little bit earlier. Certainly, there is something interfering in our potential goodness. It is none other than the devil himself, tempting us with material, earthly things that break us apart from the ones whom we dread to love. He has introduced convenience to our lives. Short lived convenience, yes, but it seems to be successfully targeting an area of our weakness.
Through our pampered lives, how are we not to believe that we have this one-way ticket to heaven? We are blessed enough to be living in a comfortable house with an excess amount of money to purchase many things that are bound to become obsolete in a year, but we have come to expect this as the default life to live. It's not even convenient to us. It's inconvenient and maddening when something goes missing. You say that this is ridiculous. And I too can't help but look at that and think, logically, that that is unfair. But it is true. Imagine if you were stripped away of everything you owned. Nonmaterial things included. You would be quite sad and lost. But imagine if, after many months, you were given your family back. A few months later, you were given your best friends back. It isn't an issue of convenience there. It is glorious, joyful, incredible. We don't understand this now because of our goal in life, as it is centered on the wrong finish right now. Of course, when I say this, I'm assuming the bandwagon dream of a high-paying job. What about a true family? What about maintaining a best friend or two? What about your faith? What about the responsibility for your children's faith? Those aren't directly intertwined with society's vision for you. Society believes in a political marriage that can be broken off when things "don't work out." It believes in throwing away the love and trust of your friends for a stressful high paying job. It believes in putting away God for a while, so you can feel better about yourself.
It believes in the convenience of you and your own. This, ultimately, has taken true religion out of many of our lives. The obligation for Mass is early in the morning/during the football game. The idea of mortal sin sends a shiver down your spine, and you'd rather not think about it and its consequences. We think that all we have to do is believe that God is up there, and that will be enough to grant us eternal bliss. However, we believe in a convenient God, a God painted by us for our convenience. Problem is, He isn't. At least, not to society's understanding of the word.
The Holy Spirit came down to give us courage and wisdom to teach others, whether it be by word or by living. We should start in a place of similar origin. We should start by something inconvenient. We should begin by forgiving. That is a lifelong journey, to be sure, but it needn't be done all at once. Our friends first, our unknowns second, our enemies third. Forgiveness is a necessary step to love. Jesus loved us to His death on the cross so that we may experience forgiveness and forgive in return. He did not tell us that we're home free because He rose. Quite the opposite. He wants us to continue to love, to continue to forgive for as long as we live.
For some, the effort isn't worth it. God is a gentleman, and He won't force anyone to do so. He is saddened, however, by the fact that they do not feel that He is worth the effort, that He is inconvenient. Not the path that's inconvenient, but He Himself, inconvenient. At Judgment, God won't make them change their minds. If they do not want Him, he will not force Himself upon them. He is a gentleman. And He will leave their souls, forever. For that is the truth of heaven and hell. If we want God, if we want Love, then He will be overjoyed to spend eternity with us. Seems simple. But love is something we cannot comprehend. Let us make that our journey anyway. It will be inconvenient journey, bound to be riddled with hurt and sadness. But recall the sadness you feel for those you don't know who live in poverty. Recall the joy you receive when you care for them and they show their thanks. It is a taste that you must keep with you.
Take that lead and run with it. Do not fear the idea of falling. Jesus fell three times.
posted by Ant at
5:07 PM
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3 comments
