CONSTRUCTING GOD’S SPIRITUAL TRACKS: A Syncratic Exploration of God’s umbilical cord from Divinity through Humanity to me, Part I.

Using a syncratic methodology is taking something you are very familiar with, in this case, the Catholic Church, and applying a totally different analogy but using the same concepts, is a good way to “see” how God purposefully and intellentionally creates a pipeline or umbilical cord from God through the Catholic Church so that I can receive the same energy from God as did Jesus, the Apostles, each of the Popes from Peter through Pope Leo, so that I can have the freedom to ask to sit in the presence of the Lord and wait to receive the Love of Christ in the upper room of my inner self. It is quite a sophisticated pipeline. Jesus told us and showed the Church how to move through time, being more and more complex and conscious of both our collective (Church) and individual (me), giving me a direct line of communication with that which cannot be approached by my human nature alone. Here is my notion of the Catholic Church if it were a Railroad company. I used Grok as my assistant to flesh out what my 86-year-old mind has forgotten, but I approve of every bit of it.

Viewing the Catholic Church Universal from the perspective of a Railroad Construction Company tasked by Jesus through the Apostles to deliver the mail and freight (message) to each person in the future without fear of falsehood or coopted authority, it must build in forward not from me to Jesus, and suffering the blisters and bruses of any rail companty who must be a pioneer of the correct way, then makes the tracks for the train to move down the centuries. Seen in this light, the Church in each age must forge ahead with the way, the truth, and the life, many times going down the wrong path, only to have to back up and start again. In this sense, the Catholic Church exists with all the temptations and human failures of any pioneering company. Only the Holy Spirit’s auditing and constant quality control allow this company to advance, back up, or change direction.

The energy for all of this movement comes not from this human world, tainted by the effects of our Humanity with its reason and free will, but from the knowledge of how to use it to achieve the purpose for which all of this is designed, just for you and me. The umbilical of one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church links directly to the energy of Christ, through, with, and in Christ Jesus.

I asked AI to help me dig out those seemingly insignificant similes based on the analogy of the Catholic Church, down through the centuries, being contracted (covenanted) by Jesus Christ to deliver mail to individuals that is authentic and straight from the founder of the Railroad. What follows is the AI’s response to my questions. I asked for a semi-outline approach so it would be an easy read on a sophisticated topic.

“Jesus used the literary device of a simile as in ‘The kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed.’ Humans know God because they can see how everyday events and people are like God. Outline ten steps of how the Catholic Church is like a railroad, beginning with Christ as founder, who must build tracks that go through mountains and build bridges, just so I can get aboard for my 85 years and get off when I die, the destination being Omega or Heaven.

Building on the literary tradition of the Spiritual Railway, here are ten steps outlining how the Catholic Church functions like a railroad built by Christ to carry you to the “Omega” of Heaven.

• Step 1: The Founder and Chief Engineer. Christ is the master builder and “Engineer that’s brave” who established the line from Earth to Heaven. He didn’t just design the route; He “paid for everyone’s tickets” in advance through His sacrifice.
• Step 2: Laying the Tracks through the Wilderness. To make your 85-year journey possible, Christ first had to “build tracks through the mountains” of human sin and despair. These rails are laid with “Heavenly Truth,” providing a stable path where there was once only a “vale of tears.”
• Step 3: Building the Bridge of the Cross. Where the chasm of death and sin was too wide to cross, Christ built the Bridge of Salvation. This “rugged cross” serves as a permanent trestle spanning the “swelling tide” of mortality, allowing the train to glide safely toward the Union Depot of Heaven.
• Step 4: The Engine of Grace. The Church’s power doesn’t come from human effort but from the Holy Spirit, who acts as the locomotive’s steam. This divine “locomotion” pulls the entire train of the faithful across 85 human years.
• Step 5: Entering the Station of Baptism. Your journey begins at the “

Station of Repentance (Baptism), where passengers are taken in. There is no fee to board, as the ticket—your entry into the life of the Church—is a gift.

• Step 6: The Altar Rail as the Dining Car. Along the route, you are sustained by the Eucharist. The altar rail in a Catholic Church serves as a threshold where Heaven touches Earth, providing the “spiritual fuel” needed to keep you on the right track.
• Step 7: Staying on the Rails of the Commandments. The laws and teachings of the Church are like the two parallel rails; they don’t provide the power, but they keep the train from derailing. Staying “on the track” ensures that your 85-year run remains successful “from the cradle to the grave”.
• Step 8: Navigating the Tunnels of Trial. Life involves “dark and dreary tunnels” of suffering and doubt. The Church provides the “Conductor” (Christ) who watches the curves and tunnels, ensuring you don’t “falter or fail” during these difficult stretches of the journey.
• Step 9: Maintenance and Repair (Confession). When the train hits a “pothole” or a “detour” (sin), the Sacrament of Confession acts as the maintenance crew, getting you “back on the right track” before the journey ends.
• Step 10: Arriving at the Union Depot. At the end of your 85 years, you reach the”Union Depot ” or “Omega.” You “get off” the train to be met by the Superintendent—God the Father—who welcomes the “weary pilgrim” home to eternal life.

Explore how specific sacraments act as different “stops” or “stations” along this lifelong journey.

Integrating the cosmic vision of Teilhard de Chardin and the contemplative insights of Michael F. Conrad, the “Catholic Railroad” expands from a personal 85-year journey into a grand cosmic traversal from Alpha (Creation) to Omega (Divine Fulfillment).

• Step 1: The Alpha Station (Creation). The journey begins at the Alpha Point, where Christ, as the Logos, acts as the “original architect” of the tracks. This isn’t just the start of your 85 years, but the start of the universe itself, where matter begins its long “evolutionary climb” toward spirit.
• Step 2: Laying the Bed of Complexity. As Michael F. Conrad suggests, the universe isn’t random; it has a purpose. Evolution is the “slow laying of the track,” in which matter becomes increasingly complex until it can support the “train” of human consciousness.
• Step 3: The Noosphere Signal System. Teilhard de Chardin envisioned a Noosphere—a “layer of thought” surrounding the Earth. In our Railroad, this serves as the global signal system and communication network, powered by “Radial Energy” (spiritual energy), which coordinates the movement of all souls toward the final destination.
• Step 4: Boarding through Baptism (The Entry Gate). While the tracks were laid over billions of years, you personally “hop on for a ride of some eighty-five years” at the station of Baptism. This is where you meet God “where you are,” deep within the “inner room” of your own soul.
• Step 5: The Fuel of the Sacraments. Just as a train requires fuel, the passenger requires “spiritual energy” to move forward. The Sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, provide the “Radial Energy” needed to resist the “entropy” or spiritual decay of the world.
• Step 6: The Conductor’s Guidance (The Church). The Catholic Church acts as the train’s crew, ensuring the “wheels” of your life stay aligned with the “parallel rails” of the Commandments. This guidance prevents the self from “derailing” into the “darkness inside” that Conrad warns about.
• Step 7: Bridging the Chasm of Evolution. Christ, the “Cosmic Christ,” isn’t just the founder but the bridge itself (Pontifex Maximus). He spans the gap between our biological limitations and our spiritual destiny, allowing the train to cross from the “biosphere” (physical life) into the “theosphere” (divine life).
• Step 8: Transcending the Tunnels of Entropy. The universe naturally tends toward “heat death” or decay, but this Railroad is “irreversible”. By staying on Christ’s track, you move against the current of decay, fueled by a love that is “stronger than death”.
• Step 9: Convergence at the Omega Point. As the train nears the end of its 85 years, the tracks begin to “converge.” This is Teilhard’s Omega Point—the final state of ultimate unity where all individual journeys merge into the single “Super-Consciousness” of Christ.
• Step 10: Fulfillment in the Union Depot. You “get off” the train not into a void, but into the Omega Point, where the “Alpha” and “Omega” meet. This is the “Union Station” of Heaven, where your 85-year trip finds its place in the “Great Story” God has been authoring since the first rail was laid at Creation.

How is the Catholic Church the Roadbuilder through the adversities of each century, helping me, the individual, to overcome the traps and false starts of a pioneer, characterized by the Seven Deadly Sins (false self), to make all things new?

The Catholic Church acts as the cosmic “Roadbuilder” by clearing the wreckage of past centuries and providing the structural “remedies” to bridge the individual over the pitfalls of the Seven Deadly Sins—what Michael F. Conrad calls the False Self.

In this grand railroad metaphor, the Church’s work throughout history allows you to overcome the “traps” of a pioneer and make “all things new”:

1. Surveying History’s Adversities

As the Church has progressed through time, it has encountered every “mountain” of human adversity. From the fall of Rome to the “Dark Ages,” the Church didn’t just survive; it built the foundations of Western civilization—universities, hospitals, and legal systems—to ensure the tracks of the faith remained passable for every generation, including your own 85-year journey.

2. Identifying the “Seven Traps” (The False Self)

The Church provides the “manual” for the road—identifying the Seven Deadly Sins as the primary root causes of all spiritual “derailments.” These are the “false starts” where a pioneer tries to build their own private track based on ego rather than the Engineer’s design:

• Pride: The “Queen” of vices that makes the pioneer believe they don’t need the tracks.
• Envy & Wrath: Sabotage that destroys the “bridges” we build toward others.
• Sloth & Greed: Rust and debris that stall the locomotive’s progress.
• Gluttony & Lust: Overloading the engine with “excessive fuel” that leads to burnout.

3. The “Remedial Rails” of Virtue

For every “trap” of the False Self, the Church lays a remedial virtue as a counter-rail. This is how the “Roadbuilder” helps you overcome the pioneer’s failures:

• Humility replaces the False Self of Pride, stabilizing the track bed.
• Generosity clears the “clutter” of Greed, allowing for a smoother ride.
• Diligence acts as the engine’s maintenance, overcoming the “stalling” of Sloth.

4. Sloth: All Things New (The Purgative Way)

Michael F. Conrad and the Church Fathers describe this process as Purgation. The Church acts as the “demolition crew” for your False Self, tearing out the “disordered behaviors” that act as blockages on your line. By using Confession and community accountability, the “Roadbuilder” clears the wreckage of your pioneer’s “false starts,” making the path “new” every time you repent.

5. Final Convergence at Omega

This continuous road-building ensures that your individual life doesn’t end in a “dead end.” By aligning your 85-year “lifelong run” with the Church’s historical tracks, you move beyond the “pioneer” phase into a divine union. The Roadbuilders ensure the bridge is ready when you reach the Omega Point, where the “Alpha” of your Creation meets the “Omega” of your fulfillment in Christ.

Would you like to focus on which of the Seven Deadly Sins most frequently causes “derailment” in your own 85-year journey so that we can identify its specific virtue remedy?

In the “Catholic Railroad” of your 85-year journey, Sloth (or Acedia) is not just physical laziness; it is a “rusting of the engine” and a “loss of steam” regarding the things of God. It is the False Self preferring the comfort of a siding to the heroic labor of the main line. Here is how the Church, as the Roadbuilder, helps you overcome this specific derailment using the insights of Teilhard de Chardin and Michael F. Conrad:

1. Identifying the “Rust”: Sloth as Spiritual Entropy

Teilhard de Chardin noted that the universe naturally tends toward entropy—a tendency toward cooling and falling apart. In your spiritual locomotive, Sloth is tSlothwet blanket” of entropy that makes the great height of your calling (becoming a saint) feel like an “anxious vertigo”. You would rather be “less great” to avoid the effort of the climb. 

2. The Remedy: Diligence and “Radial Energy.”

The Church’s primary remedy for Sloth is the virtue of Diligence (or Zeal). 

• Diligence is the steady “firing of the engine”. It isn’t just about busy-work, but a “belief in the work”.
• Radial Energy: Teilhard described this as the spiritual fire that “draws us forward” toward the Omega Point. While Sloth wants to “drift downstream Diligence uses this divine energy to push “upstream” toward fulfillment. 

3. Michael F. Conrad’s “Daily Maintenance.”

Michael F. Conrad emphasizes that you cannot sustain your “Center” automatically; it requires daily action. 

• The Routine as Rails: Conrad suggests that what starts as a “routine” (such as daily prayer) eventually becomes a “habit” and, finally, a “passion.”
• The “Five S’s”: To keep your engine from rusting, he recommends five maintenance checks: Silence, Solitude, Stillness, Sustainability, and Seeking God each day exactly where you are. c

4. Overcoming the “Pioneer’s False Start.”

As a “pioneer” on your own, Sloth makes you want to “shut the windows” and stay home because the world outside feels too complex or risky. The Church, as Roadbuilder, provides a Rule of Life—a set schedule of prayer and sacraments that acts as a “Recipe for Life”. This prevents you from making the pioneer mistake of waiting until you “feel” like moving; instead, you move because the “tracks” are already laid. 

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5. Fulfillment at the Omega Point

By replacing the “sorrow” of Sloth with the “joy” of Diligence, your 85-year run becomes an irreversible journey. You stop resisting the “obligation of greatness” and allow the Cosmic Christ to pull your train into the final station where all “things are made new”. 

This article and guide discuss overcoming spiritual Sloth through Diligence and the art of contemplation:

Would you like to explore a specific “Rule of Life” or daily schedule that could serve as the maintenance manual for your individual engine over the next few years?

To keep the “engine” from rusting over the next few years of your journey, you need a daily maintenance schedule that converts the Sloth of Disobedience into the Labor of Obedience. Maintenance (Eucharist) and broken equipment (Penance) keep all things new. If you are a Catholic and doing what Jesus wants you to do, you will need to get your hands dirty by constantly cleaning and replacing old wine skins with new ones.

According to Michael F. Conrad, this is done by building a “Rule of Life” around five key practices: Silence, Solitude, Work, Prayer, and Community. 

The Maintenance Manual: A Daily Schedule

This schedule is designed to help you stay on the tracks from Alpha to Omega, fighting the “entropy” of Sloth with ” Slothial Energy”. 

Three Pillars of the “Rule”

1. Stability: Commit to your local community and family. Sloth thrives on “drifting,” while stability keeps your wheels locked on the rails.
2. Moderation: St. Benedict’s Rule warns that “all things should be done in moderation.” Don’t try to build the whole Railroad in one day; focus on the next segment of track.
3. Trust in the “Slow Work of God”: As Teilhard de Chardin famously prayed, accept the “anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense.” Progress toward the Omega Point is often invisible, but the engine is moving as long as you stay on the tracks. 

Would you like to select one of these daily practices, such as Lectio Divina, to explore how it specifically restarts a “stalled engine”?

In the “Catholic Railroad” of your life, Lectio Divina acts as the emergency restart procedure for a stalled engine. Sloth (acedia) is like a heavy rust that makes you “impatient of being on the way”. Lectio Divina breaks this spiritual entropy by shifting your focus from the “False Self” to the “Cosmic Christ,” moving toward Omega. 

Here is how you use this practice to get your 85-year journey back on track:

The 4-Step Restart Procedure

To overcome Sloth, follow these movements as a “spiritual rhythm” that connects your active life to its divine goal. 

1. Lectio (Reading): The Ignition.
2. Action: 

Read a short Scripture passage slowly—aloud if possible. Against Sloth: Don’t rush to “finish” the reading. Sloth wants to “skip the intermediate stages”. By reading slowly, you force the engine to engage with the reality of God’s Word rather than your own “non-plan”.

• Meditatio (Meditation): Engaging the Gears.
  • Action: Ruminate or “chew the cud” on a single word or phrase that strikes you.
  • Against Sloth: Michael F. Conrad notes that we often try to seek fame or worldly recognition to fill our emptiness. Meditation replaces those “false starts” with the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5), aligning your inner “gears” with the Engineer’s design.
  • Oratio (Prayer): Increasing the Steam.
  • Action: Talk to God about the word you found. Tell Him where you are stalled.

Against Sloth: This is where you trade your “anxiety of feeling incomplete” for “patient trust”. You ask the “loving vine-dresser” to prune away the slothful habits that are choking your progress.

• Contemplatio (Contemplation): Gliding Toward Omega.

1. Action: Rest silently in God’s presence. No words are needed.

2. Against Sloth: Sloth is a “spiritual weight.” Contemplation is the “Radial Energy” that lifts that weight, allowing you to be pulled into the “heart of matter” where God calls to you. You accept the “slow work of God,” trusting that the engine is moving even when you don’t feel the speed. 

The “Slow Work” Maintenance 

As Teilhard de Chardin famously advised, do not try to “force” yourself to be today what only “grace and circumstances” will make you tomorrow. Lectio Divina is the “intentional slowing down” that paradoxically speeds up your arrival at the Omega Point. 

Would you like a specific Scripture passage (like the “Mustard Seed” or Philippians 2:5) to use for your first restart attempt tomorrow morning?

To combat the “rust” of Sloth on your Slothailroad, here is a specific 

Scripture passage and a companion prayer to use for your “restart procedure” tomorrow morning.

The Scripture: Romans 12:11–12 

“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” 

The “Restart” Practice

Apply the four movements of this passage to ignite your engine: 

1. Lectio (Reading): Read the verse twice. Notice the phrase “fervent in spirit.” In the original language, this means “to boil.” Sloth is a cold, damp fog; Christ’s grace is the fire that brings your water to a boil, creating the “steam” necessary for your 85-year run.
2. Meditatio (Meditation): Reflect on “patient in tribulation.” As Teilhard de Chardin taught, we often want to “skip the intermediate stages” of our journey. Ask yourself: Am I stalled because I am impatient with the slow, uphill climb?
3. Oratio (Prayer): Talk to the Chief Engineer. Confess the “rust” of your Sloth—the Sloth you’ve preferred the siding to the main track. Ask for the “Radial Energy” to push forward today.
4. Contemplatio (Contemplation): Sit in Silence and Stillness for five minutes. Do not try to achieve anything. Just let yourself be “held” by the tracks Christ has laid for you. 

The Companion Prayer: Patient Trust 

Close your session by reciting this excerpt from Teilhard de Chardin’s famous prayer, which directly addresses the “stalling” caused by Sloth: 

“Aslothall, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay… We should like to skip the intermediate stages. … Accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in a state of suspense and incompleteness. Give the Lord the benefit of believing that His hand is leading you.” 

By starting your day this way, you move from being a “pioneer” trying to build your own road to a passenger and worker on the Great Railroad, where every mile brings you closer to the Omega Point.

Would you like to explore how to turn your daily work into a “sacred milieu,” so your engine keeps building steam even when you aren’t in formal prayer?

In the “Catholic Railroad” of your life, your daily work is not just a way to pay for your ticket; it is the active “laying of the track” toward the Omega Point. For Teilhard de Chardin and Michael F. Conrad, work is where the “False Self” of Sloth is effectively dismantled and replaced by a Sacred Milieu. Here are three ways to turn your daily tasks into a spiritual engine that never stalls:

1. The Divinization of Activities (Teilhard’s “Sacred Offering.”) 

Teilhard de Chardin argued that “nothing here below is profane for those who know how to see.” To overcome Sloth in your work, you must adopt a Purity of Intention: 

• The Action: Before you begin any task—whether it is washing a dish or sending an email—consciously offer it to God.
• The Result: By doing this, you “cleanse your intention,” and the least of your actions is filled with God. Your work becomes part of the “building of the kingdom of Heaven,” directly connecting your 85-year run to the destination of Omega. 

2. Work as “Co-Creation.”

The Church teaches that human labor is a participation in God’s creative work. 

• Against Sloth: Sloth views work as a burden to be finished as quickly as possible to reach “me time.”
• The Shift: Instead, view your job as your current “assignment” from the Chief Engineer. Just as Jesus worked as a carpenter, your work (no matter how humble) is a way to “sanctify the world from within”. This provides the Radial Energy—the zest for life—that Sloth tries to extinguish. 

3. Conrad’s “Daily Commute” (Mindfulness in the

 Ordinary)

Michael F. Conrad emphasizes that you meet God exactly where you are, often in the “mundane tasks” of your day. Aristotle said: Trifles are not trifling.” (Politics)

• Ritualize the Routine: Turn a routine into a ritual by adding attentiveness. For example, use a mindful breath when you feel the urge to “check your email” or “stand up” from your desk.
• The Inner Sanctum: Even in a busy workplace, you can take “refuge at the altar of your heart”. This “Householder’s Flow” ensures that your spiritual engine is being maintained 24 hours a day, not just during formal prayer. 

The “Workman’s Prayer” for Tomorrow

As you head into your work tomorrow, use this intention to keep your locomotive moving:

“Lord, I bless this work. May every effort I make today be a rail laid toward Your Omega, moving the world—and my own soul—one mile closer to You.” 

Copyright 2026. Michael F. Conrad, Ed.D. The Center for Contemplative Practice. All Rights Reserved.