Wow! First thing you know summer is about over and schools has started. It’s time to put away summer fun things, begin to tie down everything, store stuff and prepare for the cooler and colder and darker moths ahead. Does it seem weird that I am looking forward to this time of year?
While most of us gardeners and farmers have already begun harvesting, there is still much that needs to be done. I wonder if that is how we think of our spiritual lives, too. Most of us have been baptized, go to confession, been confirmed, and go to communion, yet there is so much more that needs to be done!
In his book, The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic, Matthew Kelly names four things that don’t end with receiving the sacraments. They are prayer, study, charity, and evangelism. I like to think of them like a baseball game. First you hit the ball, then you run the bases. The trip to first base is prayer. Heading to second base is study. Moving to third base is charity. From there you head for home plate which is evangelism. As one of my friends said, “If you don’t make it to home plate, you might as well have struck out!”
We are never done with prayer, study, charity, and evangelizing. Continuing the spiritual life we ask some questions. Are you setting time aside for prayer each day, perhaps several times a day? Is God just an afterthought? What books or what apps are you using to learn more about Jesus and nurture faith? Daily reading the Bible or following the daily scripture readings are good ideas. Perhaps a copy of the Catechism is a good book to have, especially if you want to know definitively what the Church teaches. Is there an adult study group you could attend?
Generally, we Catholic Christians are great with charity. We give and we give and we give. There seems to be no end to it, yet it is not just about money. What about donating time to help out with a church ministry, lecturing, being a Eucharistic Minister, alter server, or sacristan? Perhaps you could serve on one of the many parish commissions or committees. How about joining the Knights of Columbus or the Lady’s Guild? Could God be calling you to the clerical or consecrated life? The best question is, “How can I help?”
I think the hardest of all is the run to home plate, evangelism. But maybe it is not that difficult. I think the best way is to just live a Catholic Christian life, based on Jesus’s teachings as passed to us through the Apostles and their successors. Let other see it. People are attracted a lot more to what they see and experience than what people say, for good or bad. Just think about politicians. The joy, happiness, truth and honesty and actions and attentiveness of Christians helps others to seek Christ.
My hope is that each of us will take a little bit of time to ponder what is not yet done spiritually and keep on. It doesn’t have to be anything big, but it is important to keep on. No one can say that they will be always be successful, but all of us can be more faithful. Just once, I’d like to hit a home run!
“May the Lord bless and keep you. May he let his face shine upon you, be gracious to you and give you his peace.”
