How can i have a deeper spiritual life?

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ok, i want to have a deeper spiritual life. what do i mean? i want to draw closer to God and the Blessed Virgin. what i basically want is to enrich my spiritual life through deeper devotion to Christ and His Blessed Mother. so how do i do this beside prayer? and attending Mass?

I’d like a couple of easy reading books, someone recommended to me True Devotion to Mary. that is one way. but how do you draw closer to God and to Mary? do you have any suggestions for me?

its not just Catholic books that i want, i want to know how people can enrichen their spiritual life by devotion. how do you do it?
 
To be closer to God and Virgin Mary, one can find the need of getting closer to those around him.

One of the awesome ministries is the Nursing Home Ministry. When you go visit the elderly, you learn a lot.

It is interesting that life is like a cycle - you were a child when you were first born, then you grow up, but again when you get older, you become like a child again.

It is also more amazing when you are able to take the Communion to the elderly - you hold Jesus in your hands and deliver Him to the elders. Each time you go visiting the Nursing Home and bring Jesus to them, each time you will find joy, happiness, and hope.

To get closer to Virgin Mary is to be able to pray with the elders. How amazing that is when an elder with Alzheimer’s Disease, who can’t remember her own name, still remembers how to pray the Lord Prayer and Hail Mary with you. Praying the Rosary with the elders are super great. 🙂

Another thing, dealing with some elders who are about to leave this world reminds you about your own life. It helps you pray more and more so that you will have a happy death yourself or be able to cope with all the suffering. It also helps you pray hard to be able to receive the Communion and to recognize Jesus in the Eucharist when you are as old as these elders are. Also, you yearn to be able to see Virgin Mary on your death bed. You hope that she would come and comfort you.

There are many more ways to help you be closer to God and Virigin Mary, but I’ve found the Nursing Home Ministry is one of the awesome ways.
 
An easy book is “Practicing the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. I would also recomend Eucharistic Adoration as a way to get closer to God. To spend time in the actual physical presence of Christ is awe inspiring.
 
it is. i enjoy praying in the pew at church. it helps me to reflect on my spiritual life and helps me to concentrate on God.
 
pippin said:
An easy book is “Practicing the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence. I would also recomend Eucharistic Adoration as a way to get closer to God. To spend time in the actual physical presence of Christ is awe inspiring.
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I will recommend the same.

For Eucharist Adoration, I find the most effective way is to do it regularly everyday. Yes, everyday, 7 days a week, including Sunday even after attending Mass. If you do not let one day go by without spending time with Jesus in front of the tabernacle, you will find it is not possible not being gradually transformed, and it is not possible not getting closer to the Lord.
 
A good place to start: forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=2173945

Also, I have found it essential to do spiritual reading daily, at least for a half hour to allow time to pray about what one reads, with a view to growing in self-knowledge and perseverence in virtue. The books written by saints were always my favorites, and for laypersons, I think St. Francis de Sales’ Introduction to a Devout Life is an important work for everyone’s library.

Beyond the time for prayer, mass, reading, or other spiritual devotions, ejaculatory prayer placing oneself in God’s presence throughout the day, even if only for a moment, is a good method of obtaining the habit of recollection.

As I read in a thread today, there can be no mystical life without asceticism (the striving for virtue through mortifying inordinate passions). I have learned lately that filling our minds with unwholesome food is a virtual hindrance to intimacy with God. We need to take custody of what our eyes read, and our ears hear, stopping the negative before it gets hold of us interiorly.
(Yes, the internet can be a great obstacle to recollection.)

God bless you as you journey to Him!

Carole
 
FCEGM said:
Along with the previously recommend The Practice of the Presence of God, another very helpful book would be Fr. Thomas Dubay’s Fire Within. Also, Lectio Divina - praying with Sacred Scripture - is an ancient practice in the Church to grow in the spiritual life.

icspublications.org/bookstore/avila/b_avila04aaa.html
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I don’t know what anyone else has to say about this, but, if you find Fr. Dubay’s book too long, Thomas Merton wrote a very short, but excellent distillation called, “What is Contemplation?” which basically covers the same issue (but in less depth) in a very short space. (He doesn’t really treat forsaking visions and locutions, though. If you need to know, though-- ignore visions and locutions and always submit to a spiritual director. St. John of the Cross always hits this thoroughly in The Ascent of Mount Carmel, and I think I just finished reading his section on it. I definitely recommend reading St. John after you get a taste of what prayer is from these more popular writers. :))

Whatever style of meditation one chooses is, of course, is up to the person-- whatever melds best with one’s personality. I have been trying out lectio divina. 🙂

Plus, as a note, the book on Lectio Divina and St. Teresa can be found online here.

-Rob
 
In addition to the others’ suggestions, perhaps consider some sacramentals. Wear a cross or the Miraculous Medal like this one for instance…it’s a good reminder with you always to follow Christ in all you do. Get some holy water in your home…etc…! And by all means, hang around this forum! And keep praying!! 😃
 
RobNY said:
. . . (He doesn’t really treat forsaking visions and locutions, though. If you need to know, though-- ignore visions and locutions and always submit to a spiritual director. St. John of the Cross always hits this thoroughly in The Ascent of Mount Carmel, and I think I just finished reading his section on it. I definitely recommend reading St. John after you get a taste of what prayer is from these more popular writers. :))
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:amen:
 
MarcoPolo said:
In addition to the others’ suggestions, perhaps consider some sacramentals. Wear a cross or the Miraculous Medal like this one for instance…it’s a good reminder with you always to follow Christ in all you do. Get some holy water in your home…etc…! And by all means, hang around this forum! And keep praying!! 😃
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i do have alot of sacramentals. i do wear my mount carmel scapular with my cord of saint philomena on it. 👍
 
You could try the St. Louis de Montforte consecration to the Blessed Virgin. It’s not for everyone, though, and should not be taken lightly, as it has the character of a vow. Here is a good link for it.
 
TraditionalCath said:
i read about what vows mean in the Divine Mercy book. are the vows your speaking of here have the same binding as the ones nuns take?
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No, it would be a personal, and St. Louis de Montforte cautions against taking it lightly. So pray about it, and make sure of your dedication to the “slavery” this consecration requires of you.
 
paramedicgirl said:
No, it would be a personal, and St. Louis de Montforte cautions against taking it lightly. So pray about it, and make sure of your dedication to the “slavery” this consecration requires of you.
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i’ll have a look at it.👍
 
I too want to be closer, but whether it was from reading the books, prayer, Adoration, or Divine Inspiration, it became clear to me that I needed help to do draw nearer to Him.

We can become overzealous and forget to be attentive to our primary vocation; we can also become easily tempted, as the evil one certainly prefers messing with our hearts and minds to convince us there’s a reason to abandon our efforts. I prayed for guidance to hear and do what God asks of me - the first time. The Lord blessed me with a wonderful spiritual director.
 
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