Now is the time to get your spiritual life back on track

Does God revolve around your busy life, or does your busy life revolve around God? I pose this question during some of my parish presentations, especially when speaking with families in the parish’s faith formation program.

Our lives have become so fast paced that it seems like we are living in fast forward. There is so much busyness and so many distractions that it’s a challenge to focus on what really matters. We can easily get consumed in countless activities, but it takes effort to invest in our spiritual well-being. Make this time of quarantine our opportunity to slow down and assess our overall fitness.

When we make a commitment to be physically fit — we work out; when we make a commitment to be spiritually fit — we need to pray and put God above all things. Matthew 6:33 tells us — But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.

I pray that we take stock of our spiritual health during the coronavirus and it starts with a critical evaluation of where God fits into our lives. Establishing good prayer habits, reading the Bible, and calling to mind the presence of God all the time and in everything we do. These actions are especially important now while we cannot currently celebrate in the sacraments. The Ignatian Daily Examen is a great way to call to mind God’s presence in our lives. It’s not a coincidence that the Examen is referred to as an exercise — it is a great way to improve our spiritual fitness! Check out the Ignatian Spirituality website, in my opinion, this site is a very helpful resource: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/

Knowing Jesus and having Him at the center of our life is an essential component of evangelization. Sharing our love for Jesus with others is evangelization. Being the face of Christ to everyone we encounter is evangelization. Therefore, it is impossible to evangelize without knowing God.

If God has taken a back seat in your life, there’s no better time than now to get your spiritual life back on track. I am deeply saddened by the death and the tremendous impact the coronavirus has had on so many families, but I am very hopeful that there will be positive outcomes from the virus. I pray that more people come to know Jesus and that we focus on what matters most — the outpouring of grace, love and mercy from our Heavenly Father. Remember, we are never alone when we call to mind the presence of God among us. Take heed of God’s words in Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”

Please contact me with any questions about boosting evangelization efforts at your parish at [email protected] or by visiting https://www.rcda.
org/evangelization. Follow me on Instagram: tom_rcda.