Dear Fellow Pilgrims,
There comes a tug. From time to time we feel it, a nudge drawing us to a deeper spirituality. We’ve all experienced this, perhaps several times, but we have to be paying attention.
It’s a soft breath of wind at first, a whisper. Then we start feeling a little restless. Something is happening. The universe is conspiring (or the angels are aligning, depending on our perspective) to coax us deeper into our relationship with the Divine.
With life swirling around us, it can be difficult to see the signs. They tend to be subtle amidst a world that is so noisy. So here, to help us along, are five indicators that you’re ready to journey into a deeper, richer and more profound spirituality.
1. You have an urge to simplify. Our lives are filled with clutter, much of it material, but some of it emotional. When we’re ready to dive into a deeper spirituality, we sense a need to make room, to unload the baggage we’ve been carrying with us.
2. You want something more from religion. You’re restless and dissatisfied when you leave church. We have a tendency to see this as a negative, but in reality it is a beautiful thing! When hundreds of people gather together for Mass, we all come from different places on our journeys. It is ridiculous to think we’re all seeking the same thing at the same time. Unfortunately, many give up and leave the faith when they start feeling empty or frustrated. We fail to see how our faith has brought us to this point of hunger! This is the time to dig deeper and wrestle with tougher questions, not to give up!
3. You start to value stories that aren’t your own. We spend much of our lives rather enamored with our own life story. We orchestrate the characters, plan the plot and work to move the narrative forward to our own liking. When we’re ready for a more meaningful connection with the Divine, we find ourselves less interested in our own story and more interested in the stories of others. We see how their lives contain valuable lessons and perspectives from which we can grow in wisdom and understanding.
4. You become aware of coincidences. Things start popping up. When we’re ready for another level of spiritual growth, we notice coincidences such as the same message coming from different sources two, three or even four times within a couple of weeks. We run into people we haven’t seen for a long time and they say something that draws us back to our center.
5. You dare to question things you were taught are true. This can be anything from Christ’s real presence in Eucharist to the very existence of God. Everything we were taught to believe was handed to us from someone else. We yearn to make it our own, to believe it not because we were told to, but because we choose to. This cannot happen without questions and doubt. The most holy among us always grapple with the most serious doubts. This is how they came to believe at a more profound level. When you start to doubt, don’t dismiss your questions. Chase them. They are inviting you into a deeper understanding.
Peace,
Dcn. Steve