Thursday, July 24, 2014

Five Spiritual Tips

I want to start this post with a very clear statement. I am not claiming to be an expert in the spiritual life. I hope I have made that clear.

Now with that said, I thought it might share a few small things I've learned about growing in the spiritual life. Take them for what you will. They've helped me is all I can say. 

1. Follow a routine. I hate to use such a common analogy, but it's a good one, plus Jesus used it. Your spiritual life is like a plant. It needs to be taken care of, and part of that means it needs regularity. You can't decide to water the plant on a sporadic basis and expect it to thrive. Instead, you're going to kill it by over or under-watering. You can't just decide not to water it today. 

The spiritual life works the same way. It needs some routine. Not only does this make it easier to accomplish the tasks of the spiritual life, since they become habitual, but it will give a calmer life, because you won't have the anxiety of not knowing what to expect. 

This doesn't mean you have to necessarily do everything at the exact same time everyday, or that there's never room for diversity, but it does mean that you are at least taking responsibility for your spiritual life. Plan ahead; you may not always accomplish what you want, but you'll find you accomplish a lot more of what you plan to accomplish than what you don't. 

2. Read spiritual works. No one can be their own guide in the spiritual life. The Holy Spirit needs to be that guide, and He works through other people. It's not possible for everyone to have a spiritual director, but it is possible for everyone to get spiritual advice from the experts, i.e. the Church and the saints. Numerous works have been written for the aid of the faithful. There are the messages of the pope, especially his encyclicals. 

I would also include any form of media in this category. You don't necessarily have to read a spiritual work, though I do think it's easier to meditate on the written word as opposed to the spoken. One of the great benefits of the modern world is the ease in many places to access the words of the Holy Father, or the works of the saints. 

There are four books which I would especially recommend, as they are the four basic works recommended by the Church for those looking to grow in the spiritual life. They are St. Francis de Sales Introduction to the Devout Life, which, while slightly old fashioned, remains the foremost treatise on the spiritual life of any member of the Church. I never leave home without it (it's on my phone). The second, is St. Therese of Lisieux's Story of a Soul. Many know of her simple spirituality known as, "The Little Way," and this is laid out in her autobiography. The third is Thomas A Kempis's Imitation of Christ, which provides many meditations on the titular idea, i.e. to purify oneself and become an image of Christ. The fourth and final work is St. Augustine's Confessions. His autobiography is proof that God can transform even the most hardened sinner into a great saint. Plus, like the Scriptures it is a simple read, yet filled with more to always be uncovered (the Scriptures are of course infinitely greater). 

3. Take care of yourself. Because men and women are beings composed of both body and soul, it is necessary for them to take care of both. And the soul depends on the body to actualize its greatest potential. If you're emotionally unstable, or excessively tired, hungry, etc. you'll find it much harder to pray and focus on God. This is not a bad thing. God designed us this way so that we are able to glorify Him to our fullest ability. While it is true that certain souls are called to special fasts, this is the exception not the norm, and those souls must discern it in accord with their spiritual directors. 

4. Find your own form of prayer. Every relationship is unique. Our relationship with God is no different. It will not be the same as anyone else's. One of the foremost rules in the spiritual life is not to compare yourself to anyone else. This does not mean you can't imitate another, but it does mean that you can't see the heart of their relationship. There are common necessities to every spiritual life, such as the Sacraments, but there are also unique forms of prayer, which, as long as in accord with the teachings of the Church, should be embraced by each individual as helps them. 

5. Don't neglect the small things. The most perfect prayer, the Lord's Prayer, is really a simple thing when you stop to think about it, yet it contains everything you need. Don't neglect to pray it often. We don't all need to do the Spiritual Exercises or pray all 20 mysteries of the Rosary everyday. Any guidebook for spiritual directors always cautions the spiritual director that some souls are simply called to the basic prayer life of simple written prayers and spending time with the Lord. You don't need to have visions of our Lord to have a healthy spiritual life. You need love for God and your neighbor, for at the Judgment, we will be judged in how we loved. 

Obviously, there is much more that can be advised to a person growing in their spiritual life, but I tried to choose things I don't hear that much. 

No comments:

Post a Comment