I've decided I need an accessory to improve my spiritual life: An alarm clock.
As I adjusted to my rather unwilling retirment, one of my consolations was that I no longer had to have an alarm clock. There are two days a week I need to get up: Friday, for my volunteer day, and Sunday, for Mass. Not having an alarm clock was a guiltless luxury, because the Queen of the House drops me off for volunteer day, and we go to Sunday Mass together--she woke me up for these things.
But I have become comfortable. I wake up naturally about 8:00 to 8:30 AM most days. No Huu-Huu, no stress of morning. It's too easy.
It's too easy because I have become "comfortable" in my spiritual life, my prayer life and my devotional life. This is a bad thing. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI said that 'The ways of the Lord are not meant for comfort". I've been treading water. When one treads water, one inevitably drifts down stream. That in itself is easy and comfy, but now I'm not comfortable with it. I need more striving, more self discipline.
Disciples are disciplined!
I read once that if there is no asceticism, there is no vitality in prayer. Waking up early is a traditional exercise in asceticism, and one that can be had for no more that the cost of a cheap alarm clock. So I guess I"m going back to the 5:00 AM first call, except instead of getting ready for PT I"ll be getting ready for something else.
It's a form of discernment. We talk about discernment in terms of vocation, mostly. We ask young people to discern what their call in life is to be. I've come to the conclusion that discernment is a life long process--what does our Heavenly Father, and His Most Holy son, Our Lord, want us to do next. We need to listen to promptings of the Holy Spirit, and take a look around us.
Our God is not the distant, "let the machine run itself" God of the Deists--he is active in everything, nothing exists apart from him. If I look at my life and wonder what I"m supposed to do now, I can spend my time waiting for trumpets and angels, or I can look at what's operating now. I have been afflicted with a medical history and an age that makes employment problematical, but if I look again, I see that I have been given an opportunity for prayer and spiritual growth that few are vouchsafed. I think that circumstances can be a call in themselves. I best heed this, and shape up, and do what I can't help but think is right and proper to my station, and give thanks for the opportunity, even when I find it a bithumbling humiliating. Work is work, and he gives us each work.
So, an alarm clock it shall, be, with early rising as penance, discipline and blessing picked up and embraced, if not with joy then with duty. It's not a lot, but it's something.
As I adjusted to my rather unwilling retirment, one of my consolations was that I no longer had to have an alarm clock. There are two days a week I need to get up: Friday, for my volunteer day, and Sunday, for Mass. Not having an alarm clock was a guiltless luxury, because the Queen of the House drops me off for volunteer day, and we go to Sunday Mass together--she woke me up for these things.
But I have become comfortable. I wake up naturally about 8:00 to 8:30 AM most days. No Huu-Huu, no stress of morning. It's too easy.
It's too easy because I have become "comfortable" in my spiritual life, my prayer life and my devotional life. This is a bad thing. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI said that 'The ways of the Lord are not meant for comfort". I've been treading water. When one treads water, one inevitably drifts down stream. That in itself is easy and comfy, but now I'm not comfortable with it. I need more striving, more self discipline.
Disciples are disciplined!
I read once that if there is no asceticism, there is no vitality in prayer. Waking up early is a traditional exercise in asceticism, and one that can be had for no more that the cost of a cheap alarm clock. So I guess I"m going back to the 5:00 AM first call, except instead of getting ready for PT I"ll be getting ready for something else.
It's a form of discernment. We talk about discernment in terms of vocation, mostly. We ask young people to discern what their call in life is to be. I've come to the conclusion that discernment is a life long process--what does our Heavenly Father, and His Most Holy son, Our Lord, want us to do next. We need to listen to promptings of the Holy Spirit, and take a look around us.
Our God is not the distant, "let the machine run itself" God of the Deists--he is active in everything, nothing exists apart from him. If I look at my life and wonder what I"m supposed to do now, I can spend my time waiting for trumpets and angels, or I can look at what's operating now. I have been afflicted with a medical history and an age that makes employment problematical, but if I look again, I see that I have been given an opportunity for prayer and spiritual growth that few are vouchsafed. I think that circumstances can be a call in themselves. I best heed this, and shape up, and do what I can't help but think is right and proper to my station, and give thanks for the opportunity, even when I find it a bit
So, an alarm clock it shall, be, with early rising as penance, discipline and blessing picked up and embraced, if not with joy then with duty. It's not a lot, but it's something.
3 comments:
That sounds a lot like me!
THANK YOU!!
Ummmm - IR, I think getting up at 6:30 or 7:00 will be sufficient to get the job done.
Suffering when it's self inflicted is not always beneficial.
Take Care.I will be praying for you and your family.
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