2 – 2 – 17 The Necessity of Strength

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I started having this thought earlier this year when I was far from seeking humility, but I still want to write it out to see if it still works within the context of humility.

A topic that’s heard a lot of soft soap is how we are to be as Christians. It seems that often people talk as though we are to be poor, pitiful creatures who, though powerless, love others with all our heart. Though it may be true that we are undoubtedly poor and pitiful compared to God I see no commandment that demands our weakness, perhaps poverty, but not weakness. For after all it is impossible to be loving without being strong, to be morally upright without having discipline. These flow from God and are assisted by Him but we can’t wallow through life as though we are powerless.

Consider the crucifixion. The night before in the garden Jesus asks his Father to take the cup away if it be His will, if it be His will. So it’s quite clear that in the moment, in his fully human self, Jesus does not want to die, he is fearful. But God tells him to, so he commits with that complete obedience we seek to find. Here’s what’s tricky, I wanted to speak on Jesus’s discipline to staying with his commitment to carry the cross, though it could be said that this was a result of obedience. Considering it, I think obedience is simply a type of discipline, it is the subjugation of our own desires to those of someone who has claims on us.

Perhaps it will be easier with a more earthy example. Suppose a man dedicates himself to giving more money to charity, perhaps a whole tithe to match what he gives the Church. Also suppose this man doesn’t keep a budget book or really keep track of his money all that closely. Suppose he’s prone to impulse purchases, never anything extravagant as he knows about how much money he has, but still unplanned spending. Now it’s going to be very hard for him to perform the loving action he wishes to do if he’s not saving any money for the charitable giving. The discipline and planning, though hard, of keeping a ledger would ultimately make the moment of giving, of sitting down and writing that check infinitely easier. He will not have to sit and remember if he’s already paid his rent and utilities, how much groceries are left in the fridge, if any birthdays are coming up this month, he’s already set the money aside. This is one of those examples that actually makes more sense when related to our own life than taken at face value as the behavior seems quite illogical, but we’ve all done it.

Or we could consider a couple who desires to maintain chaste as they know that that is the way to show they love and respect each other. But if they have no fortitude, a virtue specifically demanded for by the Church, and no strength what is stopping them from falling back in together?

God desires us to be loving. In doing so, He must also desire us to be strong, free, and obedient creatures, as this is the only way we will be able to love the way He wants us to. The cultivation of skills, and self-improvement in every pertinent aspect of life are requisites for a life of faith.

I think Christianity is the ultimate self-improvement religion. The reason it’s the best is that it’s not truly self-improvement. It is God trying to lift us up to be the type of thing that will live with Him for eternity. But it has all the same ideas, slow and steady progress towards our goals. Accountability partners are found in the form of priests for confession and brothers and sisters in faith. It is even the most customized plan in existence, touching not only on our talents and aptitudes but our longings, our hurts, and our destiny.

I don’t know why I was afraid this would not fit in with the idea of humility, perhaps because it came from a mind that was not humble, though this one is not either. It’s simply the concept that we’re required to cultivate certain abilities in order to perform our obligations better.