“Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions,
knowing that affliction produces endurance,
and endurance, proven character,
and proven character, hope,
and hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
In nearly every field of human endeavor that’s worth doing we expect there to be exertions, trials, hardships, and afflictions: business, sports, politics, academics, military, art, craft, healthcare, etc. We even expect, for the most part, that quality human relationships are going to take effort and have challenging times. Human relationships are not easy to do well for the long run. We may even recognize that it is work and takes dedication to be committed to our own mental health. We prize success, achievements, and milestones because they usually reflect hard work and, especially, resilience.
It seems, however, that the growing exception to this in our culture is religion. Religion and spirituality are more and more categorized with entertainment. The expectation is that it should be easy and have a big pay off. It’s not so much about how much is required of me, but how much I get from it. Do I enjoy it? Does it make me feel better, or at least feel something? Am I excited or tantalized approaching it? What does it give me? How do I receive my subjective experience? Religion and spirituality can sometimes offer a lot to answer these questions, but this mindset leaves us as spectators. We remain on the sidelines or in the audience expecting to receive, be fed, or be entertained. We may even become passionate fans, but we’re not really in the game. We can cheer or criticize and take it or leave it.
Now, there is a tangential theological point that may reinforce this idea: God is the initiator. We do not do anything to deserve his love and mercy. God is a giver. His love overflows and he goes after the lost sheep, calls our name, equips us for service, draws us out into the deep, fills us, empowers us, and sends us. This is true, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy or that we can be a spectator. In fact, it is the opposite of being in the crowd, watching the action, or cheering from the stands. When we say yes to God’s initiative, he puts us in the game. God relies on us to do our part, both for personal holiness and for his mission in the world. We grow in our own capacity to give and receive authentic love and in our generosity of love for the good of others. We are challenged to fulfill our personal development plans so we contribute in each of our unique and significant roles to fulfilling God’s objectives. God’s love is serious business. It requires something of us.
What we receive from our Catholic faith isn’t worth the price of admission if we remain spectators. It will never be worth it if all we do is comment or rate it on Rotten Tomatoes. If we enter the game, join the fray, and engage, the results are remarkable because they are real. It becomes more to us than some passing shallow entertainment, or even some deeper passionate fandom. Commitment, dedication, hard work, and resilience lead to transformation, with God’s grace: transformed hearts, transformed lives, transformed relationships, transformed world. “…affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint...” This is real. God’s love is a gift, but a gift that requires something of us. It requires it all.