III. At the heart of Spiritual Development is our relationship to God. Prayer in its various aspects has as its fundamental goal establishing and fostering our relationship to God. Section III – The Heart of Spiritual Development Is Our Relationship to God At the center of spiritual development is not a technique, a discipline, or…
Spiritual Development should have pride of place. Our faith is foundational to everything else we do. For good or ill. Section II – Spiritual Development Should Have Pride of Place In every age, the Church has taught that the spiritual life is not an accessory to human existence. It is the organizing principle of a…
The beginning of a new year has always invited the human heart to pause. Something in us looks back with honesty and gratitude, and forward with desire. Even in secular contexts, people instinctively sense that the turning of the calendar carries a call to renewal. We make resolutions because we recognize that life is not…
Prayer Pope Benedict XVI once asked the faithful to pray for him, “that I may not flee for fear of the wolves.” ¹ Those words revealed a man aware of the spiritual battle around the papacy. The same is true now. Every pope, no matter his gifts or limitations, stands at the center of immense…
VII. Personal Observations: Holiness Over Time The world we live in is impatient. Political leaders are judged by the “first 100 days.” Pundits look for immediate signals, critics demand instant proof. But the Church is not built on soundbites or quarterly reports. Holiness does not unfold on a stopwatch. It matures over time, through trials,…
Isaiah 6 (ESV) Isaiah’s Vision of the Lord In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he…