The Best Route

I used to hate driving on interstates/highways.  I would avoid taking routes that required big highway roads as much as possible, because multiple lanes, merging, faster moving vehicles, exit signs, and a lot of traffic were things that I did not want to deal with.  I would always go through town, even if that meant the drive would require extra time.  Being from a village of 2,000 people that doesn’t even have any traffic lights, most of my early driving experience was through my small community and on back country roads.  Over time, I have become more willing to take the highway and choose to take it on my daily commute to work.  However, just because I drive on the highway daily, it still is not always easy and can be uncomfortable.  Yet, I still take the highway to get to work, because I know it is the best route to get to the destination.  As I think about this example, it seems a bit like our faith.  The more we deepen our faith and work to grow in our faith, the more willing we will be to live it out in our daily lives and share it with others.  But this does not mean it is always easy or comfortable.

If we are truly living out our faith, we probably experience moments that are uncomfortable on a daily basis.  Whether you hear someone make a comment that is anti-Catholic or you are put in a situation where your faith is directly challenged or questioned, it can take a lot of courage to respond in a way that shares the reality and truth of Jesus Christ and His church.

Many times, living out our faith is not just about sharing Church teachings or responding to questions people may have.  It is often much simpler than that.  Living out our faith means choosing not to partake in the gossip among your co-workers in the breakroom.  It means choosing not to watch that Netflix show that glorifies sin.  It means choosing to take time to pray before scrolling mindlessly.  Ultimately, living out our faith means choosing Jesus in whatever we do.  It is simple.  At the same time, it is hard, oftentimes because of our weaknesses and because we make it that way.
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Choosing Jesus is not something that is a one-time decision.  It is something we must do daily, moment by moment.  The more we choose Christ, the more willing we will be to share our faith, letting Him be reflected in our lives.  We will mess up and many times, we will let our desire for comfort and ease overtake our desire for Christ.  When this happens, we can get back on the road and keep moving forward.  Choosing Jesus and sharing our faith is not always easy or comfortable, but it is always the best route.