Ruth - Chapter 7: The Path is Well Trodden
Chapter 7: The Path is Well Trodden This chapter on the saints was interesting and rang true in my heart. I have found that as I have grown in my desire to grow in holiness the Blessed Virgin Mary and holy people dead and alive have become role models to me. …. On p. 76 Kelly mentions that as a youth he was attracted to holiness. “What are our youth attracted to?” was an immediate questions that came to mind. Who adamantly, without hesitation, calls our youth to holiness? As parents we often hesitate for fear of going overboard and being branded as weird or fanatical……….. Kelly states that we should all be in the midst of transformation. If we are not progressing in holiness we are regressing. Do we openly admit that we are striving for holiness? Have we come out of our “secular closet” so to speak? Do we cheer each other on? Should our faith journey be a private thing we are embarrassed to share? This chapter brought all those questions to mind. We tell our friends we are trying to get in shape. We are trying to loose weight or save for a vacation but can we, without hesitation and with humility, tell people we are trying to grow in holiness so we are making behavior or lifestyle adjustments?……. I think that the faith sharing groups that we have in the parish and even this online study are only valid if they call us to growth in holiness and call us to share the call and struggle for growth with each other. We need each other. ……….. On p. 77 Matthew introduces the idea of the saints as spiritual coaches or role models. I think that we have to look to the saints and realize that those who don’t follow their lead are the losers. I might be getting ahead of myself but I wonder if Matthew will also introduce the need for spiritual directors to help us along the journey. Who do you have as a role model in your faith journey? There are several saints that influence me. One is St. Theresa of Lisieux (Little Flower). She showed me how to offer up all the little things in life. I was part of a book study on her last summer. But also of influence on me are the people in my life who witness to me their eagerness to grow. Examples are Tom, Karen and Jane who are prayer warriors serving the Lord and his people. They call me to a deeper prayer life. Joe, who is new to the spiritual journey, shows such a hungry to grow that I am inspired. Joann and Chuck and member of our TEAM of Our Lady, who as couples, are struggling to grow in faith. Fr. Dan and Bob are examples to me because they choose to center their life on serving God’s people and they challenge us to do the same in our own vocations. Each of you are people on the journey who inspire me as well as so many more. I believe that if we are on the journey we are saints “under construction” being molded and used for divine purposes………The challenge to me is always the discipline that Matthew states is so necessary for growth in holiness. Without discipline (p. 85) Matthew says we will never discover God’s purpose for us. Lord, help me to be disciplined, to follow the saints in following you and help me to lead others to you. May all the saints pray for us and this study.
- posted by Ruth @ 10:14 PM