I’m not all convinced that the pressure we are feeling to live out our Catholic faith is something the Church is doing to us. Rather, I believe it is the secular culture we find ourselves situated in that causes our mental anguish whenever the preacher says “live your life for Christ.”
We all struggle with living the Catholic faith. There isn’t anyone of us that isn’t touched by sin in some way; be it social or personal sin. And, for many of us, our western secular society has worked hard at making us “fat, dumb, and happy” or in other words, “comfortable” like a Kobe beef cow.
Kobe beef is suppose to be the best cut of meat anywhere on earth. It is tender, fatty and delicious. It gets this way through a Japanese tradition of providing the cow a life without stress. The cows are fed incredibly well, hand massaged daily, and given beer to drink to calm their nerves. They live such grossly sedentary lives that they have difficulty walking due to the lack of exercise. But this life of leisure has one purpose, Kobe beef cows are made for slaughtering. The life of the Kobe cow only matters for the meat it provides to its consumer.
Like Kobe beef cows, we can fall into the trap of filling our lives up with comfort too. This is one of the social trappings of living in the Suburbs. And with individualism, which is pandemic in our culture, we can grow cold to the needs of other people or at least 47% of them.
The Gospel is a message that is life giving but it is also daunting for it calls us out of our selves - to stop trying to die in comfort; but rather, to live in serving God and the common good –even if it’s painful. (This is a theme in the movie Matrix too.) In short, we exchange the comfort the world can provide in this life for the comfort we experience in knowing the true and living God in this present moment and for all of eternity.
As a foot note: the Romans struggle with Gospel living too. St. Paul wrote, “I urge you therefore, brothers [and sisters], by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2) Living the Gospel requires faith that God will provide and that God will keep his covenant with his people. It also takes wisdom, to make sure our acts are not fool-hardy but truly bring about greater good for all.
