Tag: Catholic

I’ve always been stubborn and sometimes it takes a big smack on the head to get my attention. After successfully avoiding Covid for two and a half years, I finally got a mild case and am recovering. However, in this space of isolation, I can see clearly how the “achiever” in me has gotten caught up in the “doing” since returning to work and living a post Covid life. I’ve let all this interfere with my “being”. “Being” allows me to listen to the whisper of God’s voice, feel secure in who I am and “whose” I am. It keeps me from taking on the weight of the world.

My confession, I struggle with discipline. I can be very disciplined with my work life and other areas of my life, but it falls off the rails when it comes to exercise and eating healthy. You wouldn’t know this about me from the outside but I’m on a constant roller coaster ride, up and down, and it’s exhausting. I’m praying for the virtue of temperance in my life so I can have self-mastery over my desires for food and drink. I am a sensual person, we all are, and if I don’t express this in healthy ways, I’m back on the roller coaster.

Living well is nothing other than to love God with all one’s heart, with all one’s soul and with all one’s efforts. This is who I was created to be.  How many times have I left “home” looking and searching for something more when the voice of love that satisfies is within. The problem begins when I start seeing myself as separate from God.

One virtue that helps us grow in purity, trust God more and grow in apostolic zeal is simplicity of heart. When I grow in simplicity of heart, I will never demand of God that He explain my vocation or my sufferings. I’m able to trust God with all my heart living a temperate life.

Looking for God’s Goodness in contemplation and prayer.  The Breath prayer, says the Gravity Center, is an ancient Christian prayer practice dating back to at least the sixth century. Historically, it is associated with the Eastern Church, particularly Greek and Russian Orthodox churches. Known as the “Jesus Prayer” or “Prayer of the Heart,” early practitioners would repeat to the rhythm of their breath the phrase, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” In time, the prayer was shortened to, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy” or simply, “Jesus, mercy.” Breath prayer is a good example of “praying without ceasing” as St. Paul admonished us to do, and has the potential to become as natural as breathing. It is intended to be a very short prayer of praise or petition, just six to eight syllables. The words of the prayer can be easily adjusted to your heart’s desire.

Finding goodness comes from loving in the right order and trusting in God’s mercy. I am so inclined to sin and weakness, But I want to show my love for You today. I long for my recompense to come only from You, not from people’s applause. I’m learning that it’s really just between You and me.

Will I surrender to God today and mean it? There is beauty in a God-guided life. There is wonder in the feeling of being led by God.  There is the excitement and anticipation of realizing God’s bounty and goodness more and more and what God is planning for me. Wonderful are His ways—they are beyond my knowledge. Will I turn to the words of Jesus and find God’s goodness today?

There are three essential disciplines leading us further in the journey of spiritual transformation: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Finding goodness lives in the space of healthy boundaries (fasting) and giving to others (almsgiving).