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More on Spiritual Direction and Reading
Dear Holly,
I am re-reading your book this week. So many people don't know where to start about getting spiritual direction - for years I haven't been able to even figure out what it means. I finally began to get it when in confession recently I said, "Here are my sins, please tell me where and how to start." It helped when a friend told me she tells the priest her name and a bit of a review so he can remember from the last time. Next time I'll tell him my name so he can get to know me.
Labels: 1st P Prayer
posted by Holly at 1:10 PM
2 Comments:
I have heard many complaints about not being able to find a spiritual director. The first thing I want to emphasise is prayer - I have always prayed for this - "Jesus, I need you to find me someone I can talk to!"
But say we can't find a 'formal' director? We're not up the creek without a paddle! There are many things we can do to receive spiritual guidance and sustenance. Think of it this way too - I have a formal director, but I only talk to him once a month. There are plenty of other times I need direction in between - I can't go running to him everyday to tell me what to do!
So here we need to understand what we need and some ways we can meet those needs.
First, spiritual direction is important because we need outside help to guide us closer to God and someone objective to see past our subjectivity.
Now, regarding outside help. We live in an age where all the resources of the past, all the writings of saints and popes, all the wisdom of Catholicism and the spiritual life is at our fingertips. There are excellent Catholic publishers out there who make these resources available. I can sit at the feet of St Francis de Sales or St Therese the Little Flower, or St Alphonsus Liguori in the confort of my own living room. Is not sitting down with these saints and meditating on their wisdom a form of spiritual direction?
I need to do this everyday, in supplement of my formal spiritual direction. I'd starve if I didn't. And I find, so often, the Lord Himself guides me through these works. St Teresa of Avila wondered how anyone could progress towards God without reading good books - and yet the statistics in the publishing industry show us that Catholics are not reading like they used to. It might explain the sad condition we can sometimes find in the church itself right now.
So I would suggest you go to a Catholic bookstore, read the titles and the back covers, and say "Hhhmmm Jesus - what would you like me to read?" and then choose one or two to take home with you. Curl up every night in your big comfy chair and say "Speak Lord, your servant is listening." You will get your guidance.
I highly recommend any of the spiritual books put out by my own publisher - Sophia Institute Press - as they reprint the most beautiful and relevant spiritual classics. ICS Publications prints Carmelite books - another excellent source. "The Imitation of Christ" is excellent. "My Daily Bread" by Fr Anthony J. Paone, SJ is also excellent. If any of you know some excellent Catholic Spiritual Books, please add them to the list...
Another point to remember - spiritual reading comes under 'spirituality' and this is different than 'catechisms', and 'church documents' and 'intellectual study' (although all these can be used for spiritual reading too). But we also want to form , not just our minds through study, and not just our wills through the sacramental life, but our hearts through conversation with Christ. The writings of saints and spiritual-heart books fosters 'intimacy' with God, not just knowledge.
Secondly, there are many other people I go to to get an 'objective' opinion besides my spiritual director. I go to my confessor ( the priest I usually confess to) and he knows me pretty well. I can count on him to take into account everything he knows about me when helping me discern God's Will or solving a problem. I book times with him maybe 3 times a year, in addition to confession, and I obey his directives if he issues any...
I talk with my husband. I also go to a friend who is a religious for her insight when I am in great need. The Lord never fails me through her. I talk to my sister-in-law in Calgary who tries to look at things objectively too - and doesn't try to just make me feel better ( but who tries to help me sort the real issues.) Any person whom you can get an outside objective perspective, who is going to talk with you as a practicing and believing Catholic is good - but here, I look at their advice as advice, and I must make my own decisions. They do not have the same authority as my formal priest director or confessor. I am not bound to 'obey'.
The Lord never abandons us. If we can't find a director, then Jesus Himself must not be too concerned. I tell him to direct me Himself - and he does, through my reading, my prayer and the people in my life. He does the same for you.
Sometimes the parishes that are staffed by several priests of an ORDER (as opposed to diocesan priests) are a good place to find a priest for spiritual direction. Or a "spiritual center" connected with a church staffed by an order...about 1 hour north of Seattle, we have a Franciscan retreat center that has 2 or 3 priests that give retreats and provide spiritual direction. (although beware of 'new age' spiritual centers).
There may also be other orders that do "evenings of recollection" or retreats....where the priests are available for confession and/or spiritual direction for extended periods of time. Remind them of who you are in the confessional and tell them you're there for spiritual direction AND confession. An Opus Dei priest comes up to Seattle from San Francisco once a month and does this.
Also, I would reiterate what Holly said about the different ways to get spiritual direction. Surround yourself with wise, faithful Catholics that you can ask questions and discuss. And, if you seek out things to read, the Holy Spirit will guide you as to what you need to be working on and how. At times, I have found for example, that the time spent going through the St. Ignatius Spiritual Exercises is more worthwhile than discussing things with people.
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