Last month during his homily Father Anthony, one of the Nigerian priests who was passing through our parish for two weeks, gave a list of things to do to help guide us to our heavenly home. He called it a ‘Map Quest’ or ‘GPS’ to heaven, and his tips were spot on. Myself and several others who I talked with later all agreed that if you follow what he put forth it would indeed be most beneficial for finding our way to our eternal home.
I got the list from Fr. Anthony later that week and shared it with two of the folks I had talked with earlier. I’m now sharing this with our school community knowing not everyone was at those Masses Father celebrated but that his list is something we can all benefit from to increase our faith and commitment to our Lord.
I will give a reworded and abbreviated version to what he emailed me. I have also tweaked the order around a little. If you would like the original of what he sent just ask and I will get it to you.
The suggestions presented by Fr. Anthony are simple enough in themselves, but will bear the most fruit the more habitual they become in your life. I love to tell my 4th graders about the Beatitudes long after we are done with the chapter in which they are covered. Father’s list is another way of talking about living a life centered in Christ which brings peace and joy; this list is essentially another way of looking at the Beatitudes and joyfully living them out consistently in your life. So let us begin.
1: Read the Bible everyday. Scripture is the word of God. We encounter God here. The more we read the Bible the more it becomes part of who we are and we more effortlessly and naturally live its teachings in our everyday lives, especially those teachings (think Beatitudes) given to us by Jesus.
2: Pray the Rosary daily. The motherly love Mary has for all of Jesus brothers and sisters is tender, caring, and powerful. She walked with Jesus through thick and thin and she walks with us through all the joys and challenges of our lives, guiding and helping us too. We honor her, show her our great appreciation for all she does, and through this powerful prayer we obtain her intercession.
3: Do an examination of conscience each night. Bring your day to Jesus. Look at what was good and where you could improve. Ask him for forgiveness and thank him for the many, many blessings you received.
4: Offer morning and evening prayer: This can be as simple as asking Jesus to be with you this day and turning to him one last time before falling asleep at night. Or it can be a more formal praying of the Liturgy of the Hours—there are many free apps available for this, or you can purchase a breviary at El Carmelo. I’ve offered this before, and will do so again now, that if you need help learning how to pray the Hours I will be glad to help.
5: Go to Confession: Father Anthony suggests at least once a month. I usually push towards two months, but make it a regular habit. I encourage going to Confession any chance I get and can’t stress enough how beautiful this Sacrament is and the peace that accompanies it. Avail yourself of this gift the Church so lovingly offers. The scheduled time at our parish is Saturday mornings at 8:30—right after the daily Mass– at the Olive location, but our parish priests and the friars at El Carmelo are usually available after daily Mass and by appointment.
6: Visit our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament at least once a week. Again, like Reconciliation, this is a beautiful way to bring peace and calm in to your life. Time with our Lord is time well spent even if you can only spend 10 to 15 minutes. Taking the time to come to him in the church is so beneficial to feeding your soul I can’t say enough. Our Olive site is usually available weekdays from 7a-4p. Adoration after daily Mass on Fridays at Columbia goes until 7p and El Carmelo’s chapel is usually opened Mon-Thur until 6p and Fridays until 5p.
7: Read the lives of the Saints and other spiritual books. Reading about the lives of Saints can be encouraging as these heavenly role models lived lives not unlike ours and we can learn much from them. Spiritual books nourish our souls and help us to continue our efforts to grow in holiness and love of God.
8: Participate actively in Mass. Mass is the most important prayer of the Church. We profit the most the more attentive and present we are, the more we join in the celebration and are not merely physically present. Fr. Anthony also stressed that the Liturgy is not a “religious service.” Mass is the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. We are present to this during the celebration of the Mass even as it’s veiled to our senses. The Holy Mass is eternal, it is where time and eternity meet, where heaven and earth meet. Joyfully join in this.
9: Create intense moments in your life. By this Fr. Anthony was talking of intense moments of silence and prayer. He was talking about doing things wholeheartedly. Like number 8 above, don’t simply pray. Pray with passion, get into your prayer. Feel the silence—for those with really young children those moments of silence may not be for long, but do what you can do make those moments be intense, focused, filled with awe and wonder.
10: Watch EWTN. Not being a TV watcher I put this last, but I do agree with Fr. Anthony that there are many good Catholic programs worthy of your time. I would add websites such as Word on Fire to the list. There are such a nice variety of topics covered and between just these two listed here there is something for all ages. Today, with the Pope's visit, does find me watching some television and I have already passed along to the 5th and 8th grades some of what I've learned. Tomorrow I will talk with my 4th graders. So yes, there are times watching TV/youtube videos can be of much benefit.
The Final Lesson
I have sought beauty the dust of strife,
I have sought meaning for the ancient ache,
And music in the grinding wheels of life;
Long have I sought, and little found as yet
Beyond this truth: that Love alone can make
Earth beautiful, and life without regret!
- Arthur Stringer -
22 Sep 2015