It's a Struggle

For some reason, when I went to the local store this past week, for my weekly, grocery shopping, I was shocked at how much everything cost. I was walking down aisles, looking at all sorts of items, thinking it all costs so much   This simple, everyday experience became overwhelming, putting me in touch with the universal human struggle.  

Struggle is a key spiritual theme, within Christian religion, and not in Christianity alone.  It is a life-long struggle, a quest for life, run within the primal battle between good and evil.  It so strikes me that this battle is being waged both out there, on the streets, and, in here, in my heart.  I feel it as I know this struggle so well and it does not simply go away.  

It is one where we are dealing with powerful, internal forces.  If we want to understand wars, we don't have to look further than ourselves.  No one is outside this human storm.  If we think we are above this struggle, we are either deceiving ourselves, lacking in self- awareness or just playing an arrogant game.  So what is our response to this battle?  Fight or flight, as they say?  

Flight is an easy escape, too readily sought.  Sadly, we too often reduce life to its lowest common denominator.  We fall into unhelpful routines.  We retreat to our comfort bubbles.  We rely on gimmicks and games to reassure ourselves.  To do any of this is to miss out on the beauty and joy of life, while failing to deal with the harsh realities of life, which stay with us.  

The other side of life is that it calls us beyond our safe zones and tried ways to wondrous spiritual depths and illumined human heights.  The challenge to being people of integrity and humility, living authentic and aware lives, may overwhelm us, but it is the invited and great way ahead.  Within the Christian narrative, based on the Gospel, St Charles de Foucauld lived life by a simple motto - 

"Be Christ in order to do what Christ does".  

In doing what may appear as so alien to the accepted ways of our world, we are destined to find peace and happiness.  This simple way may go against human wisdom, but that is okay.  It is signposted by our being kind and compassionate, by our reaching out to our neighbour in their need.  It is a struggle, but one worth fighting.  Thus we find ourselves and the greatness of the life to which we are called.  

Happy solidarity in shopping!