Finding Your Catholic Groove
7 minute read
How many of us are striving to be strong Catholics and yet find ourselves looking nothing like the saints? This is true for at least me. So if this is just an article solely applicable to me, then I apologize. However, I think that I am not totally alone in the journey of wanting to be good yet not consistently doing so. Like most things in my life, I tend to commit to things in waves. Unfortunately, that seems to even go as far as my faith. I try to ride out the peaks of those waves for as long as possible, but inevitably I hit the shallow parts and fall into a cycle of neglect.
So the question we have is, how do we stay afloat during the chaotic waves and gain enough momentum to climb into the boat our Lord is calling us into? Well, as shown by the beginning of this article, I am not the "expert" to give advice. However, before you click away, this is meant to be a conversational piece from someone who is trying their best to grow in their faith. So stick around, because there might hopefully be something good to take with you.
Another disclaimer: I am not claiming to be anything close to a saint, this is really a letter to myself, and trying to come up with ways to stick with it and fight the good fight.
1. Look to the Saints
Well well well. What a novel idea. Let’s look to the men and women, who did “Catholicness" the best, as examples. Shocker. But in all seriousness, we can very easily forget that we don't have to reinvent the wheel and that we are most likely not the first person to have gone through the type of struggle we are facing. Maybe the saints didn't do EXACTLY what you are facing but they fought similar enough battles to give us a clue on how to stay connected to God during those times. There are numerous saints and books about them, find a saint that you connect to and learn about them. Then find time in your day to pray to them and ask them to take your burdens to the Father.
*A disclaimer for Non-Catholics: this is not the same as praying to Christ! This is like asking a friend or family member to pray for you. Catholics do NOT believe saints are “more powerful” than God in any way, shape, or form. You can very well go to Christ and pray. It is just nice to have reinforcements during troubling times and to have an “insider” speaking on your behalf. Who better than our family who has gone before us in heaven?
2. Listen to Catholic podcasts
Podcasts have just about exploded over the past 5 years and it is very possible you are already knee-deep into your favorite ones. I myself have a 45-minute commute to work each day, so I have plenty of time to listen to podcasts if I choose to do so. Find one that speaks to you, but here are a few of my personal favorites:
Messy Family Podcast (For Parents)
The Father Mike Schmitz Podcast (Thought-Provoking and Quick)
All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri (Faith Encouragements and Faith Explanations)
Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World (Fun & Interesting)
The Word on Fire Show (Bishop Barron is always a good listen)
Being Human with Dr. Greg Bottaro (Catholic Psychology)
3. Read Catholic books
This is obviously books other than the Bible (which is a must). Reading is one of the most important ways we can give our souls and minds nutrients to grow and think bigger. So when we are selecting a book to nourish us, we should try and keep a steady flow of books that keep us centered on Christ. Catholic books can help keep the fire alive for the faith and its beautiful traditions. Finding a book that helps explain the traditions is also very helpful and can make the liturgical season feel more applicable. There are numerous places you can find lists of great Catholic books to read. However, a more personable source would be to go and talk with your local priest. They'll have references and books that they know of and can speak to personally, which is better than any book I can tell you. But if you care to see what I think, here are some books I’ve enjoyed:
The Mindful Catholic by Dr. Greg Bottaro (Great for Meditation and Catholic thinking - Love this book!)
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis (Daily devotional book that is easy to read a little each morning or evening)
Catechism of the Catholic Church (Seems obvious but it keeps you sharp)
Jesus Shock by Peter Kreeft (Ignites your passion for the Eucharist)
4. Talk about God whenever possible
An easy way to fall out of sync with your faith is to let it fall dormant. By not keeping it alive during the week, you are allowing the flame to die out little by little. Speaking about God with others breathes life into your spirit and makes it real. Talk about your experiences, and thoughts with others and how they relate to God. Especially if you are married, it is key to talk about God as much as possible with your spouse.
5. Pray as much as you can
This is another one of those, "yeah yeah, I know!" but I want to take it a bit further. This is something that every Christian knows is key in their faith journey, however, it seems to slip out of our habits more times than not. We should be filling the gaps in our day not by scrolling on our phones but by talking and living with God. Who better to chat with and spend your time with? I once heard a marvelous quote, or read it somewhere, and I hope I don’t butcher it, but it went along the lines of "feel free to waste your time with God, for it is never actually a waste". Sometimes when you are bored, stressed, or just don't know what to do, just sit in silence with God and talk with Him. Let Him know all that is going on in your life, and just sit and listen for a response. Praying is huge and can feel complicated, but a lot of times it starts with just being with God.
6. Find a devotion that works for you
This is one that I find difficult to stick with, but when done right, it truly helps bolster your faith. It helps establish a rhythm and strength connecting yourself to Christ in a way that works for you. One of the most popular devotions is praying the rosary. There is also the liturgy of the hours, or numerous other prayers and novenas to fall in love with.
7. Follow the liturgical calendar
A great way to put up the bumpers on your walk is to adhere to the liturgical calendar (as best as you can). Mark down some feast days, look forward to Holy Days of Obligation, and prep for them. That way it doesn't feel like some "random day" just sprung up and now you "have" to go to church. By being prepared and looking ahead, you can learn more and get your mind in the right space to embrace and celebrate the year.
8. Talk with your priest
I’m not just telling you to go to confession (although that is important), I'm saying it's important to bring up questions and struggles you might have with him. Your priest is there to help guide you and encourage you to live out your Catholic faith to the fullest.
9. Listen to Catholic music
I love listening to music and have listened to it basically every day since 2012 with my subscription to Spotify. Even before that, I would listen as much as possible. If you're like me or enjoy music as well, then you might realize this is a huge influence in your daily life! The amount of content you absorb through music is incredible. So think of how music affects our mood, behavior, and thoughts. Therefore it is only logical to include good wholesome Catholic music in our playlists. It helps us to connect with God and keep our minds thinking positively about all the goodness of Christ. We will include links to Spotify playlists we enjoy listening to as well as some artists we like.
10. Journal your journey
Coming from the person who wrote everything you are reading, it only makes sense we would say to write your journey down. Writing is immensely helpful in more ways than I could fully describe here but it is marvelous in keeping your thoughts towards Christ. You can document all that you struggle with and then look back and see how you are progressing and the things you should bring to God. It is a great way to keep pushing yourself along because you can more easily process the hard days, and better celebrate the victories along the way.