How can I not worry in an era where worry and depression are all around us, where the first thing in the morning is anxiety to get to work or school on time and where we pass through experiences where ma tista tafda ’l ħadd (you cannot trust anybody), and in an era where politics is now called post-truth politics, based on emotions, not facts. How can I not worry? This is either another crazy statement or else a truly deep one.
When I got to know the person better I understood what he meant: the answer actually lay clear in his spiritual journey.
A distorted view of religion can either immerse us in a set of rituals with little meaning to our lives, or on the other extreme, fill us with a rebellious attitude that throws away the baby with the bath water. It can also make us adopt an indifferent attitude towards life’s powerful spiritual aspect. This actually makes a lot of sense to me personally because if religion does not have an interior spiritual driving force it is definitely not worth the hassle.
But embarking on a spiritual journey is not really about a set of duties to accomplish. It’s about coming in contact with that interior driving force that pushes you out of bed in the morning. It’s the force that helps you through the struggles of the day and ending it with a grateful attitude for the things you’ve done and the relationships you’ve cultivated through thick and thin.
The beginning of the more busy winter season might be an ideal time to insert moments in your programme that can help you live through life rather than drag yourself through it.
On a personal level they discern better, and on a social level they speak in truth, unveil lies and propose suggestions for the common good
There are practical reasons why embarking on a spiritual journey really makes the whole difference:
The people I have met who have seriously embarked on a spiritual journey are somehow more serene in their perspective of life. They are surely not free from suffering or even tragic situations in their life, and absolutely not ‘in control’. But on the other hand they are people who know that God is in control. This somehow gives them greater freedom to flourish where needed and to trust and let go in situations where they cannot be in control.
This serenity and freedom in turn gives greater clarity and somehow it seems that the perspective on life of these people, is God’s eye view. This helps them discern better the day-to-day, or the life-changing decisions to be taken. They have a greater freedom and actually speak with authority on a variety of topics.
On a personal level they are the ones to discern better even what others are saying, and on a social level they are the ones who can speak in truth, unveil lies and propose suggestions for the common good, truly and without any strings attached.
People like Pope Francis show us what a true spiritual connection is about, what a truly lived religion is about. Embarking on a spiritual journey might shake your ‘usual’ way of life for some time, but it will surely help you move through life in a refreshed way.
How can we start? What do I insert in my programme? Well, the suggestions can be many, but for sure the following three practices truly helped my journey:
Prayer in silence helped by the Word of God, spiritual accompaniment with an experienced spiritual director, and a retreat that offers a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of our daily life.
If you have not yet seriously embarked on your spiritual journey, make sure to look for help and start to actually pencil it in your diary. Your life won’t be the same any more. As Pedro Arrupe SJ once said, in our Christian vision, believing is about falling in God’s love, staying in love, and it will decide everything.
tonimifsud@yahoo.com