A Quote for Spiritual Growth
From My Daily Bread, part 1, chapter 34:
Christ:"My child, there is one thing that stops many from making spiritual progress and keeps them from improving themselves. It is a fear of the difficulties or of the work required by their effort. The people who rise highest in holiness are those who are brave enough to fight against whatever holds them back from Me, no matter how hard or disagreeable the effort may be. The more you try to master your feelings and blind desires, the greater are the graces which I offer to you. If you keep on trying, you will gain as much success as I desire of you.
"Different men have to face different obstacles. Yet, a diligent and zealous person will make greater progress in virtue, even though he may have to fight more defects than others. Some people have fewer defects to overcome, and still they do not advance in holiness because they are less fervent in the pursuit of virtues.
[our response]: "Many are frightened by the thought of changing their ways in daily life. Yet the way can be quite simplified if only they will make the effort. First, they need a spiritual director to guide them along tand the help them see themselves without prejudice or fear. Second, they must be honest in striving for the virtues opposed to their main faults. Third, they must realize that their feelings and blind desires will go on rebelling and making their daily efforts more difficult. Lastly, they must learn to gain spiritual profit from all occasions, imitating the virtues which they see in others and avoiding the defects of their neighbors.
Pray: "O Holy Spirit, my God and Sanctifier, grant me the light to see what a glorious opportunity I now have of beginning a better life. Help me to take whatever steps are necessary to purify my soul by a sincere daily effort. You will not deny me the strength which I need, if only I will try to develop the virtues which I need most, in my daily life. Amen." (emphasis added)
Oh, how this contradicts much of what we hear from secular society: get the most done with the least effort, quickly. We shouldn't have to spend much time on anything. Instant gratification. Enjoy life; carpe diem. Feelings are important to pay attention to - they tell us a lot about ourselves and a situation. Feelings and desires are not wrong; they just are. Relativism and acceptance of sin. We need to change our world around us rather than changing or improving ourselves, rather than taking a good look at our faults. Let's instead make sin and faults acceptable and the norm. This is what the world tells us.
Few are willing to truly work at anything worthwhile anymore. Few are willing to truly be honest with themselves about their faults and failures, to take an honest look at themselves. Few are willing to look at their feelings and blind desires and see where they are leading them astray and leading them to sin. And few are willing to commit to the process of internal change and spiritual growth.
Indeed, spiritual growth is necessary. It is a difficult road, which is made easier by God's grace. While He lightens our load, we still must bear our crosses and follow where He leads. We must not be afraid or shy away but must be honest in seeing our faults and sins as they are and striving for the virtues which oppose those faults, continuing the fight even as we grow weary, rising again even as we fall, and trusting in Him to lead us, praying at all times. It is a difficult task, but then again, nothing worthwhile comes easy. And our holiness, and our leading our families to holiness through word and example, are the most important tasks we will ever be given.
"O Holy Spirit, my God and Sanctifier, grant me the light to see what a glorious opportunity I now have of beginning a better life. Help me to take whatever steps are necessary to purify my soul by a sincere daily effort. You will not deny me the strength which I need, if only I will try to develop the virtues which I need most, in my daily life. Amen."
Christ:"My child, there is one thing that stops many from making spiritual progress and keeps them from improving themselves. It is a fear of the difficulties or of the work required by their effort. The people who rise highest in holiness are those who are brave enough to fight against whatever holds them back from Me, no matter how hard or disagreeable the effort may be. The more you try to master your feelings and blind desires, the greater are the graces which I offer to you. If you keep on trying, you will gain as much success as I desire of you.
"Different men have to face different obstacles. Yet, a diligent and zealous person will make greater progress in virtue, even though he may have to fight more defects than others. Some people have fewer defects to overcome, and still they do not advance in holiness because they are less fervent in the pursuit of virtues.
[our response]: "Many are frightened by the thought of changing their ways in daily life. Yet the way can be quite simplified if only they will make the effort. First, they need a spiritual director to guide them along tand the help them see themselves without prejudice or fear. Second, they must be honest in striving for the virtues opposed to their main faults. Third, they must realize that their feelings and blind desires will go on rebelling and making their daily efforts more difficult. Lastly, they must learn to gain spiritual profit from all occasions, imitating the virtues which they see in others and avoiding the defects of their neighbors.
Pray: "O Holy Spirit, my God and Sanctifier, grant me the light to see what a glorious opportunity I now have of beginning a better life. Help me to take whatever steps are necessary to purify my soul by a sincere daily effort. You will not deny me the strength which I need, if only I will try to develop the virtues which I need most, in my daily life. Amen." (emphasis added)
Oh, how this contradicts much of what we hear from secular society: get the most done with the least effort, quickly. We shouldn't have to spend much time on anything. Instant gratification. Enjoy life; carpe diem. Feelings are important to pay attention to - they tell us a lot about ourselves and a situation. Feelings and desires are not wrong; they just are. Relativism and acceptance of sin. We need to change our world around us rather than changing or improving ourselves, rather than taking a good look at our faults. Let's instead make sin and faults acceptable and the norm. This is what the world tells us.
Few are willing to truly work at anything worthwhile anymore. Few are willing to truly be honest with themselves about their faults and failures, to take an honest look at themselves. Few are willing to look at their feelings and blind desires and see where they are leading them astray and leading them to sin. And few are willing to commit to the process of internal change and spiritual growth.
Indeed, spiritual growth is necessary. It is a difficult road, which is made easier by God's grace. While He lightens our load, we still must bear our crosses and follow where He leads. We must not be afraid or shy away but must be honest in seeing our faults and sins as they are and striving for the virtues which oppose those faults, continuing the fight even as we grow weary, rising again even as we fall, and trusting in Him to lead us, praying at all times. It is a difficult task, but then again, nothing worthwhile comes easy. And our holiness, and our leading our families to holiness through word and example, are the most important tasks we will ever be given.
"O Holy Spirit, my God and Sanctifier, grant me the light to see what a glorious opportunity I now have of beginning a better life. Help me to take whatever steps are necessary to purify my soul by a sincere daily effort. You will not deny me the strength which I need, if only I will try to develop the virtues which I need most, in my daily life. Amen."
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