The Gospel often mentions the situation of Christians who are hated and persecuted by the world because they are disciples of Jesus. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me!” (Matthew 5:11)
What kind of insults and persecutions do we experience because of Jesus? It doesn’t come to mind right away when I try to answer. If we were to ask ourselves, ‘What kind of person is Jesus?’, it would be difficult to answer, but if we think about what we experience because of Jesus, it would change. There are times when we are happy, joyful, because of Jesus, but there are also times when we are uncomfortable, have difficulties, and suffer because of Jesus. What kind of discomfort do we experience because of Jesus and because we are his disciples? How do I experience that discomfort?
Recently, he heard a story about raising children while reading a book called “Children Who Are Broken” on a radio show. The author criticizes the reality of parenting and education in the United States, saying that ‘affectionate parenting’ is ruining children. It points out that extreme protection for children fails to foster ‘pain immunity’, and children who grow up in an overprotective environment suffer from anxiety disorders and phobias and become helpless when they are disturbed by minor things. It is said that this kind of parenting not only weakens personal growth but also undermines the resilience of society as a whole.
This book points out the reality of the United States but also makes us reflect on our reality. Nowadays, it is common to have only one child, so if you give your child everything they want and raise them without inconvenience, they will think they are kings and queens. It is challenging for a child who grows up in that environment to develop a good personality. Inconvenience is not harmful; raising a child as a human being is essential.
If we think about it from the perspective of faith, there is an inconvenience that faith gives. And that inconvenience allows us to live as believers. The so-called ‘commandments’ cause us inconvenience. There are many things that believers must keep in mind, such as a faithful prayer life, not missing Sunday Mass, abstaining from meat and fasting on certain days, loving their neighbors, forgiving their enemies, visiting and helping the poor, marginalized, and sick, and participating in church service and living a communal life.
They must make ethical judgments and act in accordance with their religious conscience, which differs from that of those without faith. They must live in a community with inconvenient neighbors, go out to clean the church, and belong to and participate in small group meetings.
However, what would my life have been like if all these inconveniences had not existed? Isn’t it because of them that I can live the way I do now? These inconveniences make me live like a human being and a believer. They also make me live closer to Jesus and become more like Him. That is the very image that becomes an example to my neighbors, and they become interested in and attracted to Catholicism.
At this point, shouldn’t we be thankful for the inconveniences we experience as believers? Besides, if we could voluntarily seek out more of the inconveniences we deserve to experience, wouldn’t we be able to live each day more fully awake, more stimulated, and more passionately? It’s not ‘easy is good’, but ‘inconvenience can be good.’ Being uncomfortable is not always negative, but it can motivate growth in many areas of life.
