The Life of Christian Prayer
Growing in the Theological Virtues – the Witness of Hope
In our quest for spiritual growth, we seek to become the best that we can be by growing in virtue, but our virtue must also moves us out of ourselves and unite us to God and neighbor in selfless love. The theological virtues give us the foundation for a real, lived relationship with God. The…
Read MoreGrowing in the Theological Virtues – Hope: Avoiding Despair and Presumption
As we’ve seen in this series, spiritual growth requires us to grow in the theological virtues, including the theological virtue of hope, which means to trust God. The alternative to hope is to fall into either despair or presumption. Despair robs the joy out of life. Presumption turns our trust into exploitation. The Error of…
Read MoreGrowing in the Theological Virtues and Our Hope for Heaven
The theological virtues are necessary for spiritual growth. The theological virtue of hope is very important because trust is the first part of any relationship. While the theological virtue of hope means trust in any promise that God makes us, it is primarily trusting in God’s promise of Heaven. There are three conditions needed to…
Read MoreGrowing in the Theological Virtues – Hope Means Learning to Trust
Spiritual growth means growth in the theological virtues. Theological virtues are directly related to our relationship with God. God leads us to a relationship with him based on the way that human relationships work. Sure, he could just “zap” us in to intimacy with Him. But he chooses to approach us in ways that are…
Read MoreCatholic Prayer and Intimacy with God – Live a Joyful Celebration of the Truth
Second Key to Spiritual Growth: Forming the Habit of Prayer & Spirituality Like any relationship, prayer needs to be grounded in the truth. In prayer, truth becomes intimacy with God. Growing in intimacy with God is a major goal for you, isn’t it? Forming a habit of prayer is an important first step of developing…
Read MoreCatholic Spirituality: Exploring Meditative Forms of Prayer
Catholic spirituality really depends on forming a habit of regular prayer. It’s really hard to get a prayer habit started when we are crammed into a “one size fits all” approach to praying styles. And Catholics are especially prone to taking a black-and-white (dare I say “gray”) view of praying. “This is true prayer. That…
Read MoreGifts of the Holy Spirit: the Gift of Fortitude
The Gift of Fortitude is the gift of the Holy Spirit that strengthens our will to choose what is right and good especially when it becomes difficult The Gifts of the Holy Spirit empower us to deepen our intimacy with God and to participate in His Divine Life. Three of the Gifts enhance our will…
Read MoreCatholic Prayer: Four Great Obstacles and How to Defeat Them
Second Key to Spiritual Growth: Forming the Habit of Prayer & Spirituality I’m going to read your mind. Are you ready? I sense that you have a great desire for spiritual growth. You want a stronger relationship with God that brings meaning and significance to your life. You want a life centered on love. But…
Read MoreVideo: Shift Your Focus With Gratitude
[wp_ticker ticker_title=”Notice” effect=”slide-h” category=”704″] Gratitude isn’t just for when things go well. Saint Paul tells us to give thanks in all things, even in our suffering. How can gratitude shift your focus and deepen your spiritual life? Read the article here: https://fromtheabbey.com/keys-chapel-christian-prayer/shift-your-focus-with-gratitude/
Read MoreCatholic Prayer and Internal Distraction
Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. It always presupposes effort. The great figures of prayer of the Old Covenant before Christ, as well as the Mother of God, the saints, and he himself, all teach us this: prayer is a battle. Against whom? Against ourselves and against…
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