Spiritual Health Plan

​As the New Year begins, many people look towards the motto, "new year, new me." Many wish to get back on track with their health - starting exercise routines or a different way of eating. Others focus on mental health. removing stress in their life, or carving out more time for family and love​d​ ones. Thankfully, others wish to bring about a healthier soul - diving deeper into their spiritual life. All of these are good attitudes for one to have, providing that we see that a healthier body, mind, and soul helps one to serve God better and to more perfectly do His will. 

After the Christmastide, the sisters turn their minds and hearts back to the apostolate and daily duties, keeping in mind that Christ has just been born anew in their hearts. Our responsibility, then, is to keep the Christ child growing in our souls by pondering the graces of the Christmas season in our hearts as Our Lady did. As we celebrated Christ manifesting Himself in the flesh to the Gentiles, how can we best manifest Christ to the souls with whom we minister to and come in contact with? How can the sister perform her daily duties with a greater recollected heart, as the Holy Family lived their life in Bethlehem and Nazareth? 

The answer, and strength, to do all these things comes from the deepening of one's interior life - the caring of one's soul. "The life of action ought to flow from the contemplative life, to interpret and extend it, outside oneself, " (Soul of the Apostolate). We are to be chalices filled to the brim, as Dom Chautard says, with the Life of God, and once full, the overflow pours forth into our actions, which should always be in accord with God's will. 

Credit: Fr. Lawrence, OP

How does one fill this chalice? Through contemplation of Divine Things in union with the Holy Trinity - i.e. mental prayer or prayer of the heart - allowing God to speak directly to our hearts, and ours to Him in response He Who is Love

Virtual School Visit Virtues Lesson

​In Soul of the Apostolate, Dom Chautard passes on "Ten Aids to Mental Prayer" when one finds it difficult. These 10 insights he pulls from a book called Spiritual Works by Fr. Rigoleuc. They are applicable to all - whether you are just beginning to set aside time for contemplation, or if you have been practicing the prayer of the heart for years. Below is a summary of these points. We pray these insights may be an aid to you this New Year on your path to spiritual growth and may Our Lady accompany you on your journey to a closer union with her Divine Son. 

---

Ten Aids to Mental Prayer

1st Way: Read a Little, Pause a Little
Using the Holy Scriptures or a spiritual book, read a few lines, pausing long in between - and meditate on what you have read, trying to get the full meaning and impress it on your mind. Avoid reading too much. Every time you pause, remain as long as you are able. 

2nd Way: Word by Word
Take a text of Holy Scripture or some vocal prayer and say it over, stopping at each word, drawing out various holy sentiments, upon which you may dwell as long as you like. Do not stop on any one word if it wearies or tires you. When you feel yourself moved, remain there as long as it lasts. 

3rd Way: Acts of Love
When it does not seem that you can contemplate on the prepared material, make acts of faith, adoration, thanksgiving, hope, love, etc., letting them range as wide and free as you please, pausing as each one to let it sink in. 

4th Way: Intention of Acts
Again, when is impossible or you are too dried-up to produce a single affection, tell Our Lord it is your intention to make an act (for example contrition) every time you draw a breath, or recite a vocal prayer. 

5th Way: Union of Suffering
In time of trial or dryness, abandon yourself generously to suffering and place this self-abandonment into the hands of God to suffer all it may please Him to send. If God has granted you suffering, unite it with Our Lord in His Agony or on the Cross and spend time with Him there. 

6th Way: Examine Your Conscience
Survey your conscience, admit your defects and weaknesses, humble yourself before the throne of God and His Divine Justice. Ask for forgiveness, detest all the wrong you have done, and resolve to correct yourself hence forth. 

7th Way: The 4 Last Things
Conjure up a vivid picture of the Last Things. Contemplate your last agony, yourself before the judgement of God, in purgatory, or the possibility of going to Hell. 

8th Way: The Blessed Sacrament
Adore our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Contemplate His True Presence. Unite yourself to Him and all He does in the Eucharist, where He ceaselessly adores, praises, and loves the Father. Consider the abandoned Tabernacles in the world and offer your presence to Him to keep Him company there. 

9th Way: Mystical Body of Christ
Call to mind that you are truly a child of God, a member of the Mystical Body of Christ. All that you receive is gift, all that you inherit is because Christ is the Son of God, and by adoption, you therefore are a child of God. Remind God of all that His Son has done for Him, and the reward which He has deemed to be ours. 

10th Way: Presence of God
Simply put yourself in the presence of God, without making any other distinct thought, or stirring up in yourself any other sentiment except the respect and love for God which His presence inspires. Be content to remain thus before God, in silence.