“I am spiritual and not religious”. I am
sure you have heard this phrase before. It
means I remain unaffiliated with any sort of organized religion and yet I
acknowledge the spiritual dimension. As Catholics,
we may all to quickly dismiss those who express this spiritual but not religious
position. They look at us as formal, organized,
ritualistic, and we may look at them as unable to commit and place themselves
under the discipline of a religious life.
They may look at themselves as highly spiritual and on a personal quest
for the meaning of life and we look at ourselves as members of the family of
God, loved and cared for. Despite this two-camp mindset I would hazard
to propose that there is more that unites us then separates us. As
Catholics we are members of a church that Jesus himself established. A church
that guides our life journey and helps us to understand how to be faithful and
moral. These aspects are certainly for
the good of one and all, but we are also to be deeply and firmly rooted in an
active spiritual life. The list of
Catholic spiritual teachers and mystics is long and we as community are
immersed weekly in the mysteries of our faith.
The spiritual depths and rewards are
made available to us but frequently we fail to unwrap this most precious of
gifts. Our spiritual but non-religious
friends may have something to teach us. While
they ponder what is truth or who is God, we may believe our duty in pursuing
our God is finished by having attended Sunday Mass.
Today we are making a simple yet important declaration of our
desire to enter fully the Lenten season, so together with Jesus we too can die
and rise again. What we begin, our God
will take and do something marvelous with.
What we begin, He will cultivate and prune for his purposes and for our
fulfillment and happiness. Our Lenten instructions
are simple. God tells us, return to me
with all your heart, return to me with all your heart. Weep and moan for your sin. Be sorrowful, go to confession, for our Lord
tells us, we are blessed, we are happy, when we mourn and are sorrowful. It is in confession that we will find
comfort. Engage in the spiritual
exercises of prayer, fasting and misgiving.
These are not simple suggestions
but Lenten doorways by which we can know only more clearly the presence of God
in our lives. Our lives are to be holy, and
prayer, fasting and alms-giving will help us to see where our spiritual lives
need attention, mending, healing, forgiveness, and love. Each day commit to doing one thing in each
area – pray, fast, love.
So, today we find kinship with our, ‘not religious but spiritual’ friends. The life of the Spirit, and the life in the spirit, is not alien to us, nor is it secondary but rather it is a source of inspiration and life. This spirituality enriches our faith, strengthens us in our difficulties, resonates and informs our vocations, emboldens our community, empowers the whole church, and connects us to our awesome God. This Lent, let us each be very clear on what we are doing and why so as not to let this precious time slip away without our attention.
I wish you a blessed and fruitful Lenten journey.
Deacon Peter – St., Agnes Parish, Arlington, MassachusettsFebruary 22nd, 2023
