Has Your Faith Cost You?

A few months ago, I was interviewed with a group of young adults for an EWTN program segment on young people living their faith. The questions asked as we were being taped made me realize that faith was costing me. They specifically asked us two other women and I if seriously living our faith, which is countercultural these days, cost us relationships.

In my case it had. Several times. I remember the sadness that came over me at that thought. I even remember being upset about being put on the spot with that question, because clearly it struck a hurt. 

Recently, it cost me again. An incompatible faith life. 

I had been listening to the dreams of the person I was dating and then sharing my own dream of children, whether through birth or adoption, baptized in the Catholic faith and receiving their First Communion. These were vivid visions I had during Mass and Eucharistic Adoration at different points over the last few years. 

The smile on my face turned bleak when I heard the words that followed, “That’s going to be a problem.” He wouldn’t support rearing children in the Catholic faith.

This was an otherwise caring human being with good values who brought a sense of newness, passion, and hope to my life, but whose faith and dreams were incompatible with mine. The puzzle pieces didn’t fit. The common thread of faith was missing. 

Being authentic to my faith and the dreams that come from it cost me. It cost me things I really needed and valued from that relationship, and that made me deeply sad.

When I think about this situation, I’m assured that my dreams are holy and good, and that passing down the Catholic faith to family, friends, and all in my circle of life is something I’m called to do. But I’m also reminded of the Gospel truth that faith has a cost.

Following Jesus, passing on our faith, and living our faith has a cost...sometimes a very high cost.