I love being comfortable. One of my favorite things to do is light candles, pull a blanket on my lap, and sip a warm cup of tea on the couch. While I cherish these moments of warmth and coziness, I know that I am called to live a life beyond comfort.
When I attended Fordham University, the Jesuit University of New York, The Dean of Students always said, “The purpose of a Jesuit education is to be spiritually, morally, and ethically annoyed in small doses and for the right reasons.” Prior to his statement, I had never heard of the phrase “spiritually annoyed.” Does Jesus want me to be annoyed? I thought. My understanding of the concept grew throughout my time at Fordham as I learned how it relates to working for social justice, being contemplative in action, and living the faith.
This saying has stuck with me long after my graduation from Fordham. Over the years, I have come to understand what it means to be spiritually annoyed, why it’s important, and how it can inspire me to put my faith into action.
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What does it mean to be spiritually annoyed?
When someone is spiritually, morally, and ethically annoyed, it means that they are aware and bothered by the injustices of the world. When we are too comfortable, we can forget about issues like racial inequities, a lack of affordable housing, climate change, and more. The first step in serving others and working toward social change is recognizing these issues.
While people may think it’s sinful to be annoyed or angry, my Catholic faith has taught me that there is such a thing as righteous anger or annoyance. In fact, I believe that Jesus is angry or annoyed right alongside us when he sees people experiencing homelessness, facing domestic violence, and enduring racism, sexism, or homophobia.
Being spiritually annoyed means that our eyes are open to these injustices. We feel upset when people’s rights are taken away, we are angry when people exhibit bigotry, and we are saddened by tragedies and traumas in the world.
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How can I act on spiritual annoyances?
As a Catholic, I know that faith is about more than prayer. I know that I am called to be a solution to the injustices in the world, and being spiritually annoyed is just the first step.
In my daily life, I am bothered by how housing is unaffordable for many. I am upset by the cost of medical care keeping people from getting the help they need. I am angry at the way people act out of hatred instead of love. My anger and annoyance toward these injustices signal that it’s my responsibility to stand in solidarity with and act in service to others.
When I first moved to the Boston area, I was surrounded by many people experiencing homelessness. As the pandemic hit in 2020, the number of those unable to obtain the basic necessities grew. I saw many people experiencing homelessness and talked with my husband about the best way we could support and stand in solidarity with them. We ended up researching nonprofit organizations in our local community and chose to make a monthly donation to one that ethically provided people with food, shelter, and services with the ultimate goal of helping them obtain and maintain affordable housing.
This act of service started with simply noticing and becoming bothered by the injustices in our community. I now take it as my responsibility as a person of faith to not only notice but act on these spiritual annoyances.
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Spiritual annoyances are meant to inspire, not overwhelm
While I find it crucial to walk through life being spiritually annoyed by the inequalities in the world, I think of the Dean of Students at Fordham, who reminded us to be annoyed “in small doses.”
While it’s crucial for us to notice and act on injustices, it should be in small doses so that it does not sacrifice our own mental health and well-being. When our eyes become opened to inequality, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It is impossible for one person alone to solve all of the problems of the world. When I read the news and hear about tragedies, I sometimes feel the need to take a break to rest or do something fun. During these moments, I like to remind myself that even Jesus took time away to rest.
While it has been over five years since I graduated, I will never forget the dean’s words about the purpose of a Jesuit education. Throughout life, I aim to maintain a sense of spiritual annoyance so I can always recognize injustices and act on them out of love.