PRAYER FOR HOLINESS
HOLINESS AND DAILY LIFE
Prayer and Reflection
We wake up in the morning,
To begin our daily chores
Mulling over the day’s challenges
Longing for moments of joy and fulfillment
Knowing that all things in this life are passing.
Thankful for our blessings
In sympathy with the suffering of others
In solidarity with all those who are oppressed
Longing for justice and equality
Let us make the most of our time.
Fill the day with generosity, love, peace,
And joy, joy, joy
For Newman holiness is the ongoing effort to live in the presence of the indwelling Spirit and the
process of realizing the Spirit in this world. Holiness is not an escape from this world. It is seeing Christ, through the Spirit, revealed to us in the ordinary actions of the day.
Holiness is throwing oneself completely into the duties of one’s daily life and performing them as well as one can. It is being open to the presence of the Spirit in all people, in all creation, and making this presence real in daily life.
You misunderstand if you think that this is some type of introverted spirituality that focuses on the “me,” saving my soul.
Liberation theologians speak of “lo cotidiano,” daily life experience, as a source of theology, and I would add spirituality. Liberation begins in the transformation of daily life experience, which can only be accomplished by transforming the oppressive structures in society. The only way to make the Spirit fully present in daily life is to work to overcome all forms of oppression – personal and structural.
Pope Francis speaks of holiness as being open to the Spirit in one’s life. It is asking the Spirit what Jesus expects from us at every moment in our life and in every decision one must make, so as to discern its place in the mission we have received from Christ.
It is doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
It is through the presence of the Spirit that we discern how we should live and act. We need to let ourselves be renewed and transformed by the Spirit. “Yet there is no greater freedom than of allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit, renouncing the attempt to plan and control everything to the last detail, and instead letting him enlighten, guide and direct us, leading us wherever he wills.” (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 280).
Prayer and Reflection
We wake up in the morning,
To begin our daily chores
Mulling over the day’s challenges
Longing for moments of joy and fulfillment
Knowing that all things in this life are passing.
Thankful for our blessings
In sympathy with the suffering of others
In solidarity with all those who are oppressed
Longing for justice and equality
Let us make the most of our time.
Fill the day with generosity, love, peace,
And joy, joy, joy
For Newman holiness is the ongoing effort to live in the presence of the indwelling Spirit and the
process of realizing the Spirit in this world. Holiness is not an escape from this world. It is seeing Christ, through the Spirit, revealed to us in the ordinary actions of the day.
Holiness is throwing oneself completely into the duties of one’s daily life and performing them as well as one can. It is being open to the presence of the Spirit in all people, in all creation, and making this presence real in daily life.
You misunderstand if you think that this is some type of introverted spirituality that focuses on the “me,” saving my soul.
Liberation theologians speak of “lo cotidiano,” daily life experience, as a source of theology, and I would add spirituality. Liberation begins in the transformation of daily life experience, which can only be accomplished by transforming the oppressive structures in society. The only way to make the Spirit fully present in daily life is to work to overcome all forms of oppression – personal and structural.
Pope Francis speaks of holiness as being open to the Spirit in one’s life. It is asking the Spirit what Jesus expects from us at every moment in our life and in every decision one must make, so as to discern its place in the mission we have received from Christ.
It is doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
It is through the presence of the Spirit that we discern how we should live and act. We need to let ourselves be renewed and transformed by the Spirit. “Yet there is no greater freedom than of allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit, renouncing the attempt to plan and control everything to the last detail, and instead letting him enlighten, guide and direct us, leading us wherever he wills.” (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 280).