Jesus And Commitment

Jesus and Commitment A Tract Book Essay By Anthony J. Fejfar, J.D., Esq., Coif © Copyright 2007 by Anthony J. Fejfar Unless you are really in the groove, it is hard to make a commitment. Sometimes you have this intuitive feeling that you can commit to doing something for a long time, maybe forever. Often times when we think of commitment we think of a marriage commitment or a commitment to religious life. There is a more fundamental commitment, however, that this one’s commitment to God. Everyone knows that if you believe in God you will have your ups and downs, your good days and your bad days.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola

saw this, and named these swings in spirituality consolation and desolation. Even modern psychiatry has the ideas of manic inspiration or consolation, and depressive desolation or depression or deep sadness. When one feels God or the Spirit in one’s heart and soul then one is experiencing consolation. When God or the Spirit seems absent then one is experiencing desolation.

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Ignatius said, however, that even desolation can be a gift. In periods of spiritual dryness or sadness it is typically the case that the soul is undergoing some type of conversion. Although it may be that in some cases medication is necessary to help overcome desolation or depression, with good spiritual direction it is sometimes possible to ride out the situation and transcend it. As Dr. Larry Dossey points out, the mind-body connection is a two way street. The mind can affect the body and the body or medication can affect the mind. Moreover, the mind can affect the mind. To return to my earlier discussion here, I guess my point is that you have learn to be patient with yourself and understand that however horrible it may be at the time, it may be spiritually necessary for one’s inner growth to experience some desolation or depression. You have to transcend the depression or desolation, however, at keep at your goals and your life. You simply have to gut it out and stick with your faith in God even though your spiritual experience is total anguish. Jesus was very outspoken in his criticism of those who “flip-flop.” Flip-floppers are those who blow with the wind, Catholic one week, Episcopalian the week after, atheist the next. Providentially, God can work with us even when we are atheists or bigoted.

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His plan may not be the one we like but nevertheless it is still a plan that will work, providentially. Jesus said in the Christian Gospel, “I will take them cold, I will take them hot, but the luke warm I will spit out of my mouth.”

So, while we should strive to be spiritual, loving, persons, and

love God, at the same time we must be careful not to be wishwashy.

If we

change faith under persecution, severe persecution, then God can exercise equity and forgive us. But if we change faith for reasons of selfishness, or power, or greed, then God is not very forgiving.

So, even in times of

difficulty do your best to stick with your faith. If you leave the faith for what you see is a good reason, then don’t come back unless you really mean it. Maybe it is better for you to try to make your new faith work. a Catholic one week and an Episcopalian the next week. Make a commitment and God will work with you.

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Don’t be