Spiritual Development
First published in The HighWay March 2016
Easter is almost here. Is the excitement growing? Has your Lenten discipline helped the love of God wrap you more firmly in these final days before the great Easter festival? Will it seem that the Holy One will be walking with you daily as we celebrate the risen Christ and move through the following season of Pentecost and into the long season of Trinity, of ordinary time? There is still time you know, if your Lenten preparation seems to be falling apart. If you made a plan about what you were going to do to make your Christian life a little different, a little more exciting during Lent, and work on family issues or health problems, which might have screwed up the plan. Don’t give up. There is still time, for The Holy One is always there, always waiting for you, always looking forward for you to know the joy of acknowledging the Divine presence.
Just start again from where you left off. If you planned to attend the parish bible study or Lenten preparation, and you missed a couple, pick up with the next one. If you planned to read one of the gospels again, pick up from where you left off. Or if you planned to give some time to helping the homeless or help out in the food bank, start again. If your plan was to have a period of holy reading or silent prayer each day or every weekend, you know what to do. Start again!
If none of that works then redesign your plan. The Holy One is a God of many chances. Scripture as a whole proclaims that. If none of that helps, try the following. When you get out of bed each day say, “I praise my God this day. I give myself to God this day. I ask my God to help me this day.” If you can’t remember the words, write them on a Post-It note and pin it to your pillow—If you sleep in a water bed, be cautious where you pin them. When you shave, or do your make up say, “Thank you God for the rest of the past night and the gift of this new day. Pour into my heart the living water of your grace. By your light I see light. Increase my faith, and grant that I may walk this day in the light of your presence, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.” Write the words on a Post-It note and stick it to your mirror. At breakfast say “God is great, God is good, and I thank him for my food.” Remember, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. At Noon time try, “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen” Do it again at tea-time, or your afternoon coffee break. If you need to, you can put the “Gloria” on a Post-It note and keep it in your wallet or purse. At noon time or tea-time take some time to say, “O Holy One I carry into your presence…” then name those persons or issues you are concerned about and let them go. As you start supper again say, “God is great God is good, and I thank him for my food.” Before you lay down for the night count on the fingers of one hand five things or events from the day for which you are grateful and then say, “Thanks for the day Lord. Into your hands I commend my spirit for you have redeemed me O Lord, O God of truth.” You may want to put that on a Post-It note too and place it on your pillow. It won’t take much time out of your busy day, but it will help you to be aware that the Holy One (the Father, the risen Son, and the Holy Spirit) has been like your shadow, near in each situation of your day.
As you are nourished by the Easter Sacraments, may you be filled with joy, and the Spirit of love that you may be a witness to the resurrection and show the glory of God to all the world.
