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Assessing the Spiritual State of Your Soul

From Father Colin . . .

This comes out of a book I have mentioned before that I am still reading called The Soul of the Apostolate. In it Fr.  Jean-Baptiste Chautard lays out certain levels of spiritual growth. As he himself mentions, every soul is unique so this is not meant as some strict line drawn in the sand. But I see it as a helpful tool to assist how we are called to grow in the spiritual life and why this does not happen in a momentary experience of conversion. He lays out growth from putting aside mortal sin, and then venial sin until the struggle is more so with imperfections and prayer than any real attraction and willful engaging in mortal or venial sin.

 

This reminds us how high the mountain is we are called to climb and why the grace of the sacraments and prayer are so essential in aspiring to climb, let alone beginning to the actual ascent.

 

This is not meant as a means of discouragement, and I pray you do not see it as such if you look upon it and feel as if you have not even begun to move and time is already quickly passing by. Rather, it is an invitation to see what it means to grow in holiness, by God's grace, leading us to repentance and real conversion in this Lenten season and an authentic living relationship with God.

 

God loves you and this path up the mountain is a road leading to the wedding feast of the Lamb. Let us not grow weary but find strength in knowing we walk together with all those already in heaven and with our Lord by our side.

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