Yesterday, I gave a talk on a high school retreat. I began by targeting this misconception we often have on our Christian journey. For some reason, we often seem to think that as soon as we decide to walk with God, as soon as we've decided to pursue holiness, that God's going to make everything easy for us. What's going to happen is that this switch gets flipped and everything will suddenly become hearts and daisies and unicorns, simply because we have chosen the good and the right.
Wrong.
In fact, it is because we have chosen the rightly, that things will be difficult, not easy. We are children of Adam and Eve, sons and daughters of those who ushered sin into the world. Because of that, throughout our lives, we will constantly be tempted to sin, to reject God, to reject love, to reject our true calling, just as our first parents did before us. Deciding to set our sights on God, to turn back to Him, to turn back to love and move to the heights of which we were made for doesn’t somehow make that temptation disappear.
It’s sort of like - to borrow a favorite analogy from a friend – we’re all in a river, and because of the fall of Adam and Eve, the current of the river flows downstream, not upwards towards God. When we’re living in sin, we’re flowing with the current, floating downward… towards a cliff or something. Catastrophic. Not good. But it’s easy.
Wrong.
In fact, it is because we have chosen the rightly, that things will be difficult, not easy. We are children of Adam and Eve, sons and daughters of those who ushered sin into the world. Because of that, throughout our lives, we will constantly be tempted to sin, to reject God, to reject love, to reject our true calling, just as our first parents did before us. Deciding to set our sights on God, to turn back to Him, to turn back to love and move to the heights of which we were made for doesn’t somehow make that temptation disappear.
It’s sort of like - to borrow a favorite analogy from a friend – we’re all in a river, and because of the fall of Adam and Eve, the current of the river flows downstream, not upwards towards God. When we’re living in sin, we’re flowing with the current, floating downward… towards a cliff or something. Catastrophic. Not good. But it’s easy.
But, let’s say we wake up and realize the doom that awaits us if we just keep bobbing along, and we decide to swim against the current. We turn around, back towards our love and our glory. That turn doesn’t somehow make the current disappear. The river itself isn't altered. We are what changes.
We’re given help from the Lord - grace, Divine life, the Church, Christ Himself. He is with us, fighting the tides. But, notice that we’re still fighting. That’s why the Church on earth is called the Church militant. He told His apostles that there would be tribulation. "In the world, you will have trouble." Just because we decide to live for Christ, doesn't mean the struggle ends. Rather, we invite Christ into our sufferings. Yes, "in the world you will have trouble, but take courage. I have conquered the world." Notice, Jesus doesn’t say, "take courage. I’m going to solve all your problems." He also doesn’t say, "take courage. You got this." No. "take courage. I have conquered the world." Jesus is the victor. We need Him with us in our fight or we're never gonna make it.
When Jesus speaks these words to His friends on the night of the Last Supper, He tells them how important it is for them to stay connected to Him, to abide in Him. "Abide in me," He says, "because without me you can do nothing." Not – "without me it’s going to be hard, but you've got this" or "you can go it on your own, you just won’t get as far." NO. Nothing. Nada. You'll get no where. See how desperately we need Him! He is the path to the Father, the path to our fulfillment, our purpose. His death paves a way for us to live. We need Him.
We’re given help from the Lord - grace, Divine life, the Church, Christ Himself. He is with us, fighting the tides. But, notice that we’re still fighting. That’s why the Church on earth is called the Church militant. He told His apostles that there would be tribulation. "In the world, you will have trouble." Just because we decide to live for Christ, doesn't mean the struggle ends. Rather, we invite Christ into our sufferings. Yes, "in the world you will have trouble, but take courage. I have conquered the world." Notice, Jesus doesn’t say, "take courage. I’m going to solve all your problems." He also doesn’t say, "take courage. You got this." No. "take courage. I have conquered the world." Jesus is the victor. We need Him with us in our fight or we're never gonna make it.
When Jesus speaks these words to His friends on the night of the Last Supper, He tells them how important it is for them to stay connected to Him, to abide in Him. "Abide in me," He says, "because without me you can do nothing." Not – "without me it’s going to be hard, but you've got this" or "you can go it on your own, you just won’t get as far." NO. Nothing. Nada. You'll get no where. See how desperately we need Him! He is the path to the Father, the path to our fulfillment, our purpose. His death paves a way for us to live. We need Him.
So how do we cling to Him? How do we abide in Him? A few verses later, Christ says, “if you keep my commandments, you will remain in me.” What is the commandment He speaks to them - “love one another as I have loved you.” And how did Christ love us? With everything. He gave it all. He went to the end, beyond the limits of life. He died that terrible, humiliating, agonizing death on the Cross. He loved us with everything. He gave everything as a sacrifice for us. He is love and to love is to sacrifice.
In makes sense then, that to remain with Him, to live in Him, to turn back to Him, to love as He loves – we are called to sacrifice. Is that hard? Heck yes. It is the exact opposite of the self-serving nature of sin, in which our fallen humanity is immersed. But love, sacrifice, is the greatness to which we are called. “He who loses his life will save it.” To receive the gift of life that Christ offers us, we have to put to death all the things within us that keep us from God. We have to let go of our sins and selfishness, to die to ourselves, to obtain life. Christ really does turn our whole world upside down- but oh how we need that. Our life depends on our ability to let go, to sacrifice, to love, to abide with Jesus.
The Christian journey is a path of suffering and sacrifice. Hard – yes – but good. It is the great adventure of man, where we persevere towards the glory to which we are called to – eternal union with God, who is love. This is what brings purpose to our lives. This brings Life itself into our lives. Do not shy away from sacrifice. Do not quit when it gets hard. Jesus has already won the fight. He is victorious. We just need to do whatever we can to be united to Him. That is how we share in His victory, how we swim against the current with Him and reach the heights of greatness to which we are called. We need to sacrifice everything that keeps us from Him. Then we will be able to enter into His love, which He is continuously pouring out upon us.
"In order to be Christian, our lives must be a continual renunciation and sacrifice. However, we know that the difficulties of this world are nothing compared to the eternal happiness that awaits us, where there will be no limit to our joy, no end to our happiness, and we shall enjoy unimaginable peace. And so, young people, learn from our Lord Jesus Christ the meaning of sacrifice."
–Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati – Happy Birthday, Brother! Verso l'alto - to the heights!
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati - pray for us!
In makes sense then, that to remain with Him, to live in Him, to turn back to Him, to love as He loves – we are called to sacrifice. Is that hard? Heck yes. It is the exact opposite of the self-serving nature of sin, in which our fallen humanity is immersed. But love, sacrifice, is the greatness to which we are called. “He who loses his life will save it.” To receive the gift of life that Christ offers us, we have to put to death all the things within us that keep us from God. We have to let go of our sins and selfishness, to die to ourselves, to obtain life. Christ really does turn our whole world upside down- but oh how we need that. Our life depends on our ability to let go, to sacrifice, to love, to abide with Jesus.
The Christian journey is a path of suffering and sacrifice. Hard – yes – but good. It is the great adventure of man, where we persevere towards the glory to which we are called to – eternal union with God, who is love. This is what brings purpose to our lives. This brings Life itself into our lives. Do not shy away from sacrifice. Do not quit when it gets hard. Jesus has already won the fight. He is victorious. We just need to do whatever we can to be united to Him. That is how we share in His victory, how we swim against the current with Him and reach the heights of greatness to which we are called. We need to sacrifice everything that keeps us from Him. Then we will be able to enter into His love, which He is continuously pouring out upon us.
"In order to be Christian, our lives must be a continual renunciation and sacrifice. However, we know that the difficulties of this world are nothing compared to the eternal happiness that awaits us, where there will be no limit to our joy, no end to our happiness, and we shall enjoy unimaginable peace. And so, young people, learn from our Lord Jesus Christ the meaning of sacrifice."
–Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati – Happy Birthday, Brother! Verso l'alto - to the heights!
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati - pray for us!