HOW THE MAGISTER NOSTER HELPS ME GROW DEEPER IN MY HUMANITY: II.

An alternative title might have been, “Spiritual Weightlifting Exercises to increase stamina.” I do these three exercises from time to time and share them for what they are worth to you. They are worth “more than many sparrows” to me.

I. STRENGTHEN YOUR SUSTAINABILITY TO FOCUS ON CHRIST

Instructions: This is an exercise where you test yourself to see if you have the spiritual will to focus on Christ each day for thirty days, a second thirty days, and a third thirty days. Here is how I do this deceptively simple yet profound practice to help me die to my false self and grow to my true self. (Remember the previous blog?)

CAN YOU WATCH 30 DAYS WITH ME WITHOUT MISSING A DAY?

1. Read Chapter 4 of the Rule of St. Benedict once daily for thirty days. Just read it through and put it down, but it must be each day without missing. If you miss it, start your thirty days from the beginning.
2. At some time after those 30 days, analyze your performance and come up with some conclusions. They are just for you alone.

Repeat your reading of Chapter 4 in its entirety, but this time, read it as prayer, realizing that God is speaking to you in whispers and through your mind.

Go to that upper room in your inner self and sit on the couch (see the photo of my upper room). After each of the tools that St. Benedict sets forth, pause for one or two minutes and think about how each item is designed to move you from your false self to your true self as an adopted son or daughter of the Father. It’s all about silence, solitude (inside you, not outside you), and awareness that you are aware of the presence of Christ with you.

CAN YOU WATCH ANOTHER 30 DAYS WITH ME AND PROBE EVEN DEEPER INTO YOUR SPIRIT?

Once again, read Chapter 4 entirely, but with this caveat. Go to the upper room of your inner self each day and just wait there, seated next to Christ. No agenda, thoughts, or techniques; only ask that you are ready to receive whatever comes your way in humility and with obedience to Christ’s commands. I do this each day for at least 30 minutes, but I have been practicing for ten years to get there. Start with ten minutes and expand it as you grow stronger.

If you cannot even watch with Christ for 30 days, you know your spiritual muscles need food (Eucharist) and practice (Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament). You get nothing spiritually unless you work for it. It is not the work that is important but placing yourself in the presence of Christ and just waiting.

II. STRENGTHEN YOUR BELIEF THROUGH FAITH

One way Catholics have, but many do not use, is adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. It is usually an hour when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration. Many parishes have Eucharistic Adoration as an important part of their spiritual weightlifting training in the School of Love. Don’t underestimate the power and energy that comes from placing yourself in the real presence of Christ in humility and obedience to God’s will, and, with eyes lowered, just repeat, “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Remember! Faith comes from God; belief comes from you. Your faith is not only your own, but you are linked to all those in heaven, those on earth who are still struggling to believe, and those in purgatory who get a second chance after they die. Church is WE; belief is ME. Both are different sides of the coin that Christ gave you at Baptism.

Find a Catholic Church with Eucharistic Adoration, or, if none is available, just sit down in Church for fifteen minutes and watch that light at the left of the Tabernacle. That is the light left burning in the window to show Elijah at the second coming that there is a believer in this room. The Jews placed blood on the doorway to show the Angel of Death that those inside were faithful, and then He would pass over.

The challenge here is to make time to go to your Church and sit for at least fifteen minutes while just focusing on looking at the cross without any comments. Of course, that is impossible when you first begin, but it is important to note that the Art of Contemplation, like any skill, needs to be practiced over and over, and then over and over. You say you are a Catholic and believe in the Real Presence. If you never think about Christ or take the time to go to Church once per week (at a minimum), your Faith could be in jeopardy.

III. THE MOUNT RUSHMORE EXERCISE TO BUILD UP SPIRITUAL ENDURANCE

THE SIGN OF THE FOUR

I will give you an example of how I determine what the center of my core being is (keeping it there is the full-time task of doing my Cistercian’s practices daily without fail).

Take a blank piece of paper and drawing a square 4″x4″, make a cross to end up with four boxes.

In each box place what you consider to be the four core values or behaviors that guide your life. This could be a phrase from the Scriptures or one or two words.

Now that you have filled the boxes with what is at your core, ask yourself what is the one box, that if you took it away, all other values could not sustain themselves.

Prioritize the boxes from 1 to 4. Number one is your center, at least at this moment in time.

Now you must ask yourself if this one center you chose is the correct one. How do you know. What will be the template you use to find out the core of your being, that which is sustainable over the long run of being human and that which leads to having a deeper understanding of yourself when you use contemplation.

This is not easy, but it is a sign that you have joined the race to be human (not just the human race). Your center will not be my center. If you tell me your center, or I tell you mine, we should know if our humanity is regressing or progressing, evolving or devolving. Try it.

uiodg