The majority of us have not suffered great hardships for any extended period of time. Dish washing machines in our kitchens, central air conditioning or in-ground automatic lawn sprinkler systems were not all that common 60 years ago. However, we now live in an age when Roomba’s, Alexa’s, Siri and more do so much for us. The flourishing of services like Uber Eats, Door Dash, and so many other services indicate how much we want life to be easy and convenient. I saw a robot delivery system operating on the campus of Notre Dame University when I was there in June, and a similar robot almost ran me over in Sam’s Club a few weeks ago. So begins the next wave of convenience coming to us all!
Speaking for myself, I complain when my car fob doesn’t work. I really like the back-up cameras installed on most newer vehicles the past 10 years. I can’t believe how much texting has become a constant part of my life and yet I don’t like the accelerated pace of life that constant communication causes us to live. All of this, it seems, teaches us to expect life to go smoothly, without interruption to the conveniences we enjoy. We grow impatient with delays, closures, long lines and human circumstances. Somehow all this has contributed to an attitude of entitlement and the expectations that life should be trouble-free.
The message of advertising is simply that life can be better with this or that product. And because you and I would be better off with this new product, we deserve to have it, and we ought to get it. But in a subtle way, the more we have and get what we want the more we grow to believe that we are ENTITLED to such things. I was/am astounded by how many young people believe the loans they racked up for their college education should be written off by the government or taken care of for them. Again, is the expectation that one deserves a carefree life with no responsibilities?
Recently, I heard a talk during which the speaker posed this question: “Can you be a healthy, joyful witness of the Gospel?” He then quoted St. Paul of the Cross, who said, “Evils abound because a greater number of Christians have forgotten the cross.” Yet he says, each of us can add a drop of remedy for the evils of this world by remembering and embracing the crosses in life that come our way. Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16:24. Our willingness to endure hardships and suffering contributes to the healing of a world stricken with sin and self-indulgence.
In other words, the attitude into which we are indoctrinated by the culture is contrary to the disposition of the Gospel. Yet paradoxically, this is precisely what we have to offer the culture in order to heal it! Our willingness to undergo hardship for the sake of the Gospel reminds the world of someone else who gave his life for us, to forgive and save us. Eternal life came through suffering and death. So, too, for us. We inspire conversion and hope in others most effectively by the sacrifices we make. Our suffering in union with Christ, uniting our discouragement, frustrations, injustices, humiliations and difficulties to those of our Lord Jesus, is what brings new vitality to the world.
The point is not that we should throw out all the technology we own and look for opportunities to suffer so as to “earn” heaven. No one earns heaven. Christ by his suffering, death and Resurrection obtained for us the gift of our salvation. Rather, the goal is to willingly go through whatever hardships we have to face so as to draw closer to the Lord and offer whatever we are experiencing as a plea for God to bring conversion and healing and hope to those who believe they are entitled to a life without suffering. Willingly accepting the trials, hardships and disappointments of life teaches others that suffering can be redemptive. We deserve nothing. Everything is a grace.
St. Paul, in his 2nd Letter to the Corinthians says, “We are always carrying about in our bodies the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifest in our bodies.” Carrying about in our bodies the dying of Jesus is to willingly suffer physical, mental or spiritual challenges courageously, with the intention of revealing the life and goodness of Jesus to others. Thus, we are entitled to nothing but a sharing in the cross of Christ. And for those hardships we should give thanks, because by our suffering we push back against the evil and sin that was conquered by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Instead of seeking to live a comfortable life, what if we decided to endure the hardships of life that come to us as a chance to console the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. And what if we freely choose to find ways to deny ourselves simple comforts and pleasures for the transformation of the minds and hearts of others. Imagine the force with which our own hardships, humiliations, difficulties, etc., could become a dynamic movement for good in our world.
