Comfort Zone
By Fr. Roy Joseph, SJ
If you are reading this, you are probably comfortable. Along with technology, you likely have access to the physical necessities of life, like food, shelter, and basic medical care. In these Lenten days in which we see so much political and social strife throughout the world, we are reminded of so many who lack these necessities and our duty to attend to their needs. As humans, there is a comfort we experience in having our basic physical needs met; God made us that way. For that we strive as Christians, for ourselves and for others.
In the spiritual realm, things are different. Even with all our physical necessities fulfilled, we know from experience that we as humans can still feel very uncomfortable. The Scriptures themselves say over and over that we will not find real comfort in the things of this world. In fact, discomfort and inconvenience are spiritual necessities; denying ourselves and carrying the cross are requirements for every Christian. With that exhortation, we begin our Lent each year and undertake Lenten penances to take us out of our comfort zone. In a sense, our penances get us more used to a holy discomfort meant to help us turn to Jesus. Lenten practices challenge us to confront obstacles to this spiritual journey. That can be hard and often lead to fear initially as we are nudged to rely on the Lord. So many of us know too well how the obstacles of comfort, convenience, and security can have a hold on our spiritual lives. They can become idols that tempt us away from needed growing pains and stunt our spiritual growth.
What is consoling is that growth does happen when we persevere and that God actually did make us to be comfortable, just not in the worldly way. Ultimately, the Lord is leading us to find comfort in Him alone who shepherds us along the right paths, as know from Psalm 23. Keeping that in mind, let us continue (or restart) our Lenten practices resolved to stay on this journey together, growing with the Lord and relying on Him for the comfort that truly sustains us.