Advancing in the Spiritual Life

Talking about the spiritual life runs the risk of staying on the platitude level. Who would argue, for instance, that we should love others and be “good people?”

Without further explanation, however, such a discussion can slip into relativism. These concepts are vague enough that they could mean just about anything to any given person.

Discussing the spiritual life in a Catholic context however, changes the discussion.  It puts the focus on God and gives us the benefit of saints, Doctors of the Church, and popes to serve as guides. Getting more specific, we can discuss the spiritual battle for our souls, living the gospel, and becoming holy as our Father in heaven is holy (Matthew 5:48).

I am not a saint, Doctor of the Church, or all that close to being holy. But by the grace of God, I’m farther along now than I was a couple years ago, and I want to share signposts of growth that helped me.

Square One

For those that find prayer difficult, Mass boring, and charity burdensome, there is a way out. God promises and desires more for us than that. God will supply the grace, but it will take considerable effort on our part. Good intentions on their own are not enough to enter the race.

The starting line is Sunday Mass every week, daily prayer, daily Scripture reading, and regular confession (at least monthly is a good rule of thumb), and holding to all that the Church believes and teaches. The last item on the list is not meant to be heavy-handed, but simply logical. If one moral teaching or dogma becomes disposable, then every other dogma and teaching in the deposit of faith is similarly vulnerable.

Until these basics are part of our lives, we will only walk the race, not run. Nor will it seem worth the trouble without these basic channels of grace in operation!

Conviction

In one of the many paradoxes of Christianity, the closer we get to God, the more we see our own sinfulness. To be properly convicted means to see our souls as God does.  To do so, there are two things that need balancing. The first is knowing that we are beloved children of God, created in His image and likeness.  The second, is realizing the inclination to sin that results from the fall of our first parents.  Thanks to original sin, every person needs to come to repentance.

When Jesus begins His public ministry as accounted by St. Mark, He proclaims, “this is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). At Pentecost, when Peter speaks and the crowd asks him what they should do, he says “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).

The saints held these two things in a kind of holy tension. St. Therese of Lisieux wrote of her littleness. St. Philip Neri famously quoted, “watch me, O Lord, this day, for abandoned to myself, I shall surely betray thee.” Providing quite a visual, St. Josemaria Escriva described himself as the mangy donkey of God. These saints (and many more) give us an example of how to confess our sinfulness while fully embracing the love of God.

Being more aware of our sinfulness brings up our need for healing and for improvement. Christ offers us both of those things – being convicted of our sinfulness should not be an automatic negative.

Pursue Virtue

There are many virtues to choose from, all of which would hasten our journey in the spiritual life. Here I think the main battle is in the little things. Refrain from the second donut to choose temperance over gluttony. Keep the unkind word unspoken to avoid hurting another. When the opportunity arises to show charity to an enemy, take it. And avoid gossip and complaining.

Make no mistake, these seemingly small things can be incredibly difficult.  But the payoff is greater than we think. Remember what the master said to the servants in the parable of the talents: “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy” (Matthew 25:14-30). When we face huge challenges in acting virtuously, how much can we expect to succeed in the large if we do not in the small?

Mediocrity: the Hidden Enemy

Fr. Thomas Dubay wrote an excellent book titled “Deep Conversion/Deep Prayer,” in which he explores motivations, aspects, and fruits of conversion. He notes one of the biggest enemies of spiritual progress: mediocrity. To advance to a place of deeper conversion, “we need to focus on clear and specific aims … vague wishes go nowhere” (pg. 103).

Professional athletes, the military, and healthy organizations actively seek opportunities for growth.  Professional baseball players know, for instance, that gaining too much weight in the offseason, is not a good idea.  Would a manager put an out-of-shape player on the field on Opening Day? Rather, good players implement an exercise regimen, with a good diet/nutrition in the off season to stay fit.  Some even get in regular batting practice, regular workouts, video study, and more.  They seek to grow and improve as athletes.

Why would we approach our spiritual life with any less intent?

I suggest adding a daily rosary to the “minimum” requirements, as it was Our Lady herself that asked for it. If near a local parish, try to attend Mass on a weekday. There are also many chaplets, devotions, and saints to enrich our devotions. For another helpful list, check out Fr. Richard Heilman’s seven daily habits.

Consider the Destination

Finally, I think it is also important to keep in mind our final destination: heaven. Take the worst suffering, the most intense mortifications, and mornings without coffee and add them up. The joy and glory of heaven will infinitely surpass the sum of all our sufferings.

Heaven is where God wants us. The whole plan of salvation history is geared toward that end.  By the Paschal Mystery (Jesus’ passion, death, resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Holy Spirit), Jesus opened the gates of heaven to us. The introduction to the moral life in Part 3 of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” provides a start-to-finish summary of our life of faith:

“He who believes in Christ becomes a son of God. This filial adoption transforms him by giving him the ability to follow the example of Christ. It makes him capable of acting rightly and doing good. In union with his Savior, the disciple attains the perfection of charity which is holiness. Having matured in grace, the moral life blossoms into eternal life in the glory of heaven” [#1709].

Our goal is not Purgatory nor to sneak into heaven (as if that were possible!). The Holy Trinity wishes us to become saints on earth. That begins now! Prayer, regular participation in the sacraments, and a life of charity toward others are meant to be heavenly, in a manner of speaking.

See what St. Paul says, asking that the Father:

“. . . may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” [Ephesians 3:16-19].