a. First of all we must understand it is an everyday life and not something we set aside for special days and times. It is everything we are and everything we do. This is your spiritual life's work. It is normal and, as we like to say, regular. We must also have the attitude that it is all lived by and in God's constant help - Grace. So we lift it all up to Him. Don't let this merely be a religious platitude that you quote and do not live.

b. Always remember, in every circumstance, that you are not your own. Offer your bodies, your selves. Always find intentional ways to tangibly remind yourself of these things. Take advantage of the ancient wisdom of the Church by using the liturgy, by doing its work.

a. In this process of sacrifice, be aware of the present culture around you wherever you may be, and make the choices necessary not to mold yourself after it. This does not mean "don't be a member in good standing of the society" or "don't live as a basically 'normal' person in the culture." Please do these things. Be with and among those who are mindlessly molded by the surrounding culture, but do not be so molded yourself. There IS a difference. Always remember, you are inhabited by the eternal Life of God. Always intentionally let that be your source of identity and not the culture around you.

b. Do not get the words "conformed" and "transformed" confused in your life of sacrifice. As we said, do not conform (outwardly mold) yourself to the ways of the worldly culture which takes no account of the Life of God. Also, do not fall into the trap of attempting to CONform (outwardly mold) yourself even to the ways of God. That would be to do His job for Him - to take out of His hands what only He can do through TRANSformation. Transformation is that change and renewal which takes place on the inside, where God's Holy Spirit lives and is at work. He brings our minds back to life - back to Life, rather - His Life, by His own power and ability. We must not forget the first things: "...all through His Mercy and great Grace." If we forget this, we pull our foundation from beneath us. Our job, you remember, our spiritual life's work, is to offer ourselves to Him constantly. Constantly do that which offers yourself to Him so that He can then do the inward work of transformation in you.

c. Put yourself in the place of transformation, wherever you may be. In the context of this community, this means, among other things: praying the daily office whenever possible, being with and in the community actively whenever possible and as much as possible, partake with a serious spirit of the sacraments available to us, that give us Grace to live - mainly the Eucharist and the common life itself, and other spiritual disciplines such as meditation, spiritual reading, journaling and contemplative prayer.

a. Humility is not merely self-deprecation. It is not thinking more lowly of yourself than you ought either. So don't do that. This is not so much a temptation for us, though, as is thinking that we know more than we do or that we are more mature than we are. To think one is farther down the path than one is can be disastrous both to our own life as well as to the lives of those around us. We must always give our thoughts to God that they might be ordered by Him. Always living in the realization of His Grace and the life disciplines we mentioned earlier are ways this can be done. Realize also that the measure of faith that God has apportioned you is not only for yourself, but also for the whole community and for the world. This is simply the nature of Love in you, giving and not just keeping.

b. Practically speaking, to practice this kind of humility, learn not to speak too much when it is not needed. If you think you have something useful to say, wait first and let someone else speak. Then consider if you still need to say what it is you want to say. We know it is written, if we cannot control our tongues, our religion is pointless. Let the others in a group make the decision about which movie to see or which restaurant to go to. Do not push your own agenda. And don't whine when you don't get your way. Don't whine vocally or silently. Don't sigh and make your displeasure obvious. Die to yourself. Consider how others who drive on the road with you are legitimate human beings just like you. They have jobs and families and places to go as well. Practice letting people pass you without frustration and grumbling. Let someone out in front of you. These are some practical ways to practice humility and put our old selves to death in light of the glorious Resurrection of Christ within us.

| posted by + Alan | 3:42 PM | 0 comments

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