Christian Writing - How difficult is it… to be a Christian?

 

The answer to the above question to a large extent would depend entirely on the view people hold of what it means to be a Christian.

 

For the majority, it is dragging themselves to Sunday Mass when they could well be having their sixty winks. Yes, that is an effort and therefore on a scale of difficulty from 1to 10, it perhaps deserves a 1.

 

Now, if you're a little more conscientious, then there is this thing called confession that needs to undertaken on a Saturday to receive communion the following day. This on the scale of difficulty perhaps deserves a 2.

 

Come nighttime and there is the family rosary to be said. Would you say 3 on the scale of difficulty from 1-10? Praying for the priests and nuns even when they do not live up to our expectations, perhaps would rate 4 on the scale.

 

Then there are the 10 commandments, paraphrased by Jesus into two: "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all its righteousness, and all these things will be added on to you" and "Love your neighbor as you would love yourself".

 

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God directly translates into a waking prayer and on a scale of difficulty, perhaps 6, if you have to attend daily mass. Love your neighbor, implying loving those who are difficult to love (one's spouse for example), perhaps easily competes for the 5^th position.

 

In between, on Good Friday and Ash Wednesday, one is expected to fast. The very thought makes one eat extra the previous day to keep the bodily system going. True fast, without grumbling, would rank 7 on the scale.

 

Moving up on the scale of difficulty is church support - giving away one's hard-earned money. This however is a manageable difficulty, as no one knows how much you are giving. But, if you're a good Christian and heard about tithing 10% of your income, then of course, it shoots up to perhaps 8 on the scale of difficulty.

 

At level 9, we are really talking about doing most of what we are expected to do: conduct ourselves decently and unselfishly in our daily life; give generously to the poor and needy; fast once a week to know what is hunger and be grateful to God for all his blessing; follow the natural family method for those who are married and avoid contraceptives; avoid blaspheming; attend daily mass; read the Word of God to know God's will for each one of us; recite the family rosary everyday; have the discipline of personal prayer to intercede for our fellowmen and give God an opportunity to speak to us… all to heed what God asked Moses to proclaim to the Isrealites…"Be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy" (Leviticus 19:1-2)

 

So which is the difficulty that has the pride of place for lay people on the scale of difficulty from 1-10? Sharing the Good News with our fellowmen without fear and favour. For that is what Jesus has commanded, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Mat 28:19).

 

That leaves difficulty rated 7 on the scale, in case you have been counting. That would be each individual's own unique difficulty. Think about it, pray and overcome, as we need to with each of the above difficulty to proudly bear the name Christian.