Only A Dead Fish Goes With the Flow. It’s true. Satan wants you to go with the flow of secular life. In order to do that your spiritual life dies a bit. Here’s the order of the importance of our vocations; Love God, then love others (be a gift to others), then our work. The secular world demands that this order is flipped. Work, then be a gift to others when convenient, then God if you really think that’s important but be sure to keep that holy stuff to yourself as it might offend others.
A caution here. When you are going with the flow and eventually decide not to do so and maybe even get out of the river of secular life, you will be noticed by Satan. He’s got nothing to do but watch people go with the flow. When you change course or start to climb out of the flow, he’ll try to push you back in.
Here’s how to revitalize and strengthen your spiritual life so you can start swimming across and against the current of secular life.
I’m a big believer in making small incremental changes that add up to big changes in life over time. These changes occur in both directions. Moving away from a healthy spiritual life generally occurs in small incremental changes too. An example: giving yourself a special exception to miss Mass once or twice or leaving Mass early can eventually become the norm.
So increment your way back to greater sanctity!
Here’s how:
If you’re getting to Mass late, plan to arrive 5 minutes early, then 10 minutes early. Use that time to settle your thoughts and heart and prepare for the Holy Sacrament.
If you beat a hasty exit from Mass right after you receive the Eucharist, stay until the priest processes down the isle. Such a 1st world sacrifice to make! Meander in the narthex and introduce yourself to a few people you recognize but don’t know rather than stewing and possibly sinning in your car as you wait to get out of the parking lot!
If you are a narthex dweller during Mass, try moving up to the last rows of the pews in the back. It worked for Scott Hahn. His conversion to Catholicism started by attending Mass in the back pews.
If you go to Sunday Mass, add a weekday Mass maybe just once a month, then work your way up to an extra day weekly. Maybe make it Wednesday a mid-week respite from the insanity of your world.
If you go to confession once a year (the very minimum requirement), add a second time in the year. (Easter and Christmas?), then go quarterly, then dare I suggest monthly! Increasing your frequency really helps you identify, dial into and work on sins you may not have recognized when going to confession only one time a year. Enjoy God’s infinite mercy an understand His justice.
If you give nothing to the Church collections, give $20, then $30, then – well you get the idea. Work your way up to tithing or 10% of your GROSS income (not net). Your parish doesn’t cover payroll and pay the utilities with fairy dust or by you sending your pastor “positive thoughts”! Tithing should include your parish, but can include other charities as well. Alms giving does your soul good.
Remember, it’s OK to make baby steps to heaven, but you’ve got to start making them.
