Being anointed doesn’t mean having it easy.
Sunday’s readings struck me about this idea of anointing. The reading was on how David was finally accepted as King after Saul’s death (2 Sm 5:1-3). David was anointed king when he was a boy, but he did not become king until much time and pain had passed. He was a hero of Isreal, and then hunted by King Saul. When King Saul finally died, David was living in the land of the Philistines (that’s right - Goliath’s people). No, the road from anointing to kingship was not easy.
The gospel was about people taunting Christ on the cross. Saying that if he were the messiah he should save himself (Lk 23:35-43). Christ means anointed one. And the road to his coronation was hard. He was crowned with thorns, nailed to a tree and taunted - sacrificed for our sin.
We are anointed as well. At baptism and again at confirmation we are anointed with chrism oil. Sometimes, when we think of someone being anointed, we think of them having an easy time, of sliding right into place. I know that I sometimes wish the road was easier; that by just having faith all would fall into place without any effort. Sure it would be nice if we could just say “I believe” like magic words, and get what we want or make our difficulties disappear. But such wishing seems immature - much like my child pouting when he does not get his way even though he was “good:”
I sometimes hear from people who are angry at God or have fallen away from the faith. Often there is indignation at the sense of injustice. Many times the situation is sorrowful or shameful. Someone has done something evil to them, or even a random or natural tragedy has befallen them. It does seem unjust. Life can be very unfair. Their pain (and anger) is often great - and is understandable. We understand and seek justice, and can be deeply pained when life falls short. Those with faith believe in final justice in the afterlife. Faith and hope do not make life easy but they move our eyes from what is in front of us to the final goal.
God calls all of us to union with him and through baptism we too are anointed. Just remember, that doesn’t mean life will be easy.
