It is all very good and well to say that God is your top priority, but is He truly? Sometimes we have to take some time to do an examination of conscience, and take an honest look deep within ourselves. Some time in a quiet place to look at our weaknesses and strengths, which virtues do we need to work on, which sins have a hold of us, where and how we spend this precious time that God has given us, and what goals are we striving towards. It may take more than an afternoon. I have often times spent weeks and up to a month working on this on occasion. It is good to do this at least once a year, or those times in your life when you feel nothing you do is right, may be a sign that you are the problem, not others. I am going to call these "tips" because they do not have to be done in any certain order, you can start all today, or do one at a time; and there is no time frame for "completing" them. They are tips for things that should be integrated into your daily life, and become a part of you, not something checked off a to do list, and then move on with your life.
As Catholics we have a perfect way to help keep us centered on this examination and keeping God first; the sacrament of Reconciliation, confession. The more often that you go, and the more honest that you are in confession, the closer you come to Jesus. Remember that it is Jesus speaking to you in the confessional, He is just using a priest to speak through. It is good to look for a spiritual director, if you are lucky enough to have more than once priest at your Parish, go to all, and see which one fits with you, and who understands you, who you can have open discussions with. Though it doesn't have to be a Priest at all; it can be anyone who you trust to be honest with you, and who holds your eternal salvation as a high priority, who wants to see you achieve Sainthood! It can be your spouse, parent, sibling, friend. Pray for a spiritual director, and Jesus will point one out to you. He did for me, and for many Saints that I have read about who searched for a spiritual director as well. St. Faustina Kowalska was granted a vision of the priest who was to be her spiritual director so clearly that when she met him at a retreat, she recognized him from afar, and thanked Jesus. Receiving reconciliation and speaking with a director will help you keep your weaknesses, strengths, virtues, and temperaments pointed toward eternity with God. If you do not have a spiritual director start praying and your search today. Eternal salvation is more important than today's game!
The second item that will help keep God the top priority is prayer. Go so far as to make a list of the prayers that you would ideally want to pray on a daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal basis. Then start putting them into your schedule. It is okay to add one at a time. You don't want to burn out, you want to grow into this life. The more you say prayers, the more you will know God, therefore the more you will talk to God, and the more He will become the most important person in your world. God wants us to pray to Him constantly. He wants our whole lives to be a prayer. Most of us have daily planners or at least a to do list. Add your prayers to this list. Trust me, it is okay! It will help you keep focused on them while they are becoming habits. We all have habits, good ones and bad ones. It is easier for the bad ones to sneak in before you realize what is happening. We have to work on the good habits! My daily prayers are Morning offering, grace before each meal, a rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and bedtime prayers. I also love to pray openly, having simple conversations with Jesus while I am washing the dishes, or scrubbing the bathroom, or driving down the road. If you miss a scheduled prayer, stop and do it as soon as you realize it, but before you start, apologize to God, this will help keep you accountable as to what is your top priority, and with God as number one priority in our lives, most of our day should be in prayer. Other prayers that can be special non-daily ones are prayers to Saints on their feasts, and when you need their help. I like to say the Litany of Humility, and the Divine Mercy Novena, and my husband or I attend Holy Hour for Life once a month. Search for prayers, and devotions that pertain to your journey, and start to implement those into your life. Another way to pray is to offer things to God. Offer your pain both physically and mentally to Jesus in reparation for past sins, for the sins of others, or for intentions such as an end to abortion, or to help someone who is in purgatory. You can also offer a chore you do not want to perform, or a conversation with someone that is difficult. This is a way to make your life a prayer.
Another way to keep God as number one is to attend mass at least once a week; daily if possible. Mass is offered daily at every Catholic church, surly there is a time that you can make. Though I like to watch daily mass on EWTN because it is hard to keep my toddlers still in the pew. Though it may not be commonly talked about, but missing mass on Sunday is a sin, unless you are ill, attending to someone who is ill, or if there is no mass in your area.You must confess missing mass in confession. Attend all Holy days of obligations, and feasts that are important to you and your family. We love all the masses of Holy Week.
Another tip is to read spiritual books. Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, read about the Saints, read the Saints writings, read the Encyclicals of the Pope, and past Popes. I like to spend spend 15-30 minutes in the morning before the kids get up reading, or on a rainy day when the kids are watching a movie, sit and read something. Also, read the Bible daily. Even if it is just the four daily mass readings, or one chapter, or even a couple of verses of a chapter. Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of God. This doesn't mean that you have to memorize it, though there will be lines that you will memorize just because you love them and they mean something to you! They also make all these onto cd's that you can listen to in your car. My husband likes to do this since his job is driving, and he has a 80 mile commute back and forth every day.
Another tip is to keep pictures and statues and crucifix's around our homes. When you look up from the TV or computer, and see Jesus or Mary or a Saint staring at you, you will think of God; you may even turn off what you are doing! My husband and I have almost achieved putting a crucifix in every room of our home. This was my husbands idea, and truly the kids love it as well. One of my sons always likes to know where Jesus is!
Another tip is to work on improving your virtues. Know what the deadly sins are, and what the different virtues are. Then know yourself and which ones you need to work on. Jesus will help you, and He will bless your efforts. Apologize when you fail, and just try harder next time. Remember not all Saints were born saints. Most of them had to work hard to achieve sainthood, as most of us souls will have to do. For encouragement I recommend Confessions by St. Augustine, and read about St. Francis of Assisi. Benjamin Franklin was known to carry a small pad of paper where he would keep a tally of his failures in virtues and sins; so that he could better know himself.
Another tip is to learn the Church's position on social and political issues, so that you are not lead blindly into mortal sin. The truth is the truth, and a lie is a lie, no matter how many people believe a truth is a lie and a lie is a truth. Earth is a spiritual battleground between God and Satan; this is a truth, don't let anyone tell you any different. And if you are not fighting WITH God, you are against Him. Find a cause that means something to you, or one that God is pointing to you, and then help spread the truth, and work towards it's distruction.
Through these, you will grow closer to Jesus, and you will succeed at keeping God truly as your top priority. You will be able to hear Jesus voice clearer and be able to discern what is right and wrong, and what He is calling you to do with this life He has given you, and you will clearly see the path that He has laid before you on your journey to Heaven. And you will be equipped to help your spouse, and your children along their path as well.
As Catholics we have a perfect way to help keep us centered on this examination and keeping God first; the sacrament of Reconciliation, confession. The more often that you go, and the more honest that you are in confession, the closer you come to Jesus. Remember that it is Jesus speaking to you in the confessional, He is just using a priest to speak through. It is good to look for a spiritual director, if you are lucky enough to have more than once priest at your Parish, go to all, and see which one fits with you, and who understands you, who you can have open discussions with. Though it doesn't have to be a Priest at all; it can be anyone who you trust to be honest with you, and who holds your eternal salvation as a high priority, who wants to see you achieve Sainthood! It can be your spouse, parent, sibling, friend. Pray for a spiritual director, and Jesus will point one out to you. He did for me, and for many Saints that I have read about who searched for a spiritual director as well. St. Faustina Kowalska was granted a vision of the priest who was to be her spiritual director so clearly that when she met him at a retreat, she recognized him from afar, and thanked Jesus. Receiving reconciliation and speaking with a director will help you keep your weaknesses, strengths, virtues, and temperaments pointed toward eternity with God. If you do not have a spiritual director start praying and your search today. Eternal salvation is more important than today's game!
The second item that will help keep God the top priority is prayer. Go so far as to make a list of the prayers that you would ideally want to pray on a daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal basis. Then start putting them into your schedule. It is okay to add one at a time. You don't want to burn out, you want to grow into this life. The more you say prayers, the more you will know God, therefore the more you will talk to God, and the more He will become the most important person in your world. God wants us to pray to Him constantly. He wants our whole lives to be a prayer. Most of us have daily planners or at least a to do list. Add your prayers to this list. Trust me, it is okay! It will help you keep focused on them while they are becoming habits. We all have habits, good ones and bad ones. It is easier for the bad ones to sneak in before you realize what is happening. We have to work on the good habits! My daily prayers are Morning offering, grace before each meal, a rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and bedtime prayers. I also love to pray openly, having simple conversations with Jesus while I am washing the dishes, or scrubbing the bathroom, or driving down the road. If you miss a scheduled prayer, stop and do it as soon as you realize it, but before you start, apologize to God, this will help keep you accountable as to what is your top priority, and with God as number one priority in our lives, most of our day should be in prayer. Other prayers that can be special non-daily ones are prayers to Saints on their feasts, and when you need their help. I like to say the Litany of Humility, and the Divine Mercy Novena, and my husband or I attend Holy Hour for Life once a month. Search for prayers, and devotions that pertain to your journey, and start to implement those into your life. Another way to pray is to offer things to God. Offer your pain both physically and mentally to Jesus in reparation for past sins, for the sins of others, or for intentions such as an end to abortion, or to help someone who is in purgatory. You can also offer a chore you do not want to perform, or a conversation with someone that is difficult. This is a way to make your life a prayer.
Another way to keep God as number one is to attend mass at least once a week; daily if possible. Mass is offered daily at every Catholic church, surly there is a time that you can make. Though I like to watch daily mass on EWTN because it is hard to keep my toddlers still in the pew. Though it may not be commonly talked about, but missing mass on Sunday is a sin, unless you are ill, attending to someone who is ill, or if there is no mass in your area.You must confess missing mass in confession. Attend all Holy days of obligations, and feasts that are important to you and your family. We love all the masses of Holy Week.
Another tip is to read spiritual books. Read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, read about the Saints, read the Saints writings, read the Encyclicals of the Pope, and past Popes. I like to spend spend 15-30 minutes in the morning before the kids get up reading, or on a rainy day when the kids are watching a movie, sit and read something. Also, read the Bible daily. Even if it is just the four daily mass readings, or one chapter, or even a couple of verses of a chapter. Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of God. This doesn't mean that you have to memorize it, though there will be lines that you will memorize just because you love them and they mean something to you! They also make all these onto cd's that you can listen to in your car. My husband likes to do this since his job is driving, and he has a 80 mile commute back and forth every day.
Another tip is to keep pictures and statues and crucifix's around our homes. When you look up from the TV or computer, and see Jesus or Mary or a Saint staring at you, you will think of God; you may even turn off what you are doing! My husband and I have almost achieved putting a crucifix in every room of our home. This was my husbands idea, and truly the kids love it as well. One of my sons always likes to know where Jesus is!
Another tip is to work on improving your virtues. Know what the deadly sins are, and what the different virtues are. Then know yourself and which ones you need to work on. Jesus will help you, and He will bless your efforts. Apologize when you fail, and just try harder next time. Remember not all Saints were born saints. Most of them had to work hard to achieve sainthood, as most of us souls will have to do. For encouragement I recommend Confessions by St. Augustine, and read about St. Francis of Assisi. Benjamin Franklin was known to carry a small pad of paper where he would keep a tally of his failures in virtues and sins; so that he could better know himself.
Another tip is to learn the Church's position on social and political issues, so that you are not lead blindly into mortal sin. The truth is the truth, and a lie is a lie, no matter how many people believe a truth is a lie and a lie is a truth. Earth is a spiritual battleground between God and Satan; this is a truth, don't let anyone tell you any different. And if you are not fighting WITH God, you are against Him. Find a cause that means something to you, or one that God is pointing to you, and then help spread the truth, and work towards it's distruction.
Through these, you will grow closer to Jesus, and you will succeed at keeping God truly as your top priority. You will be able to hear Jesus voice clearer and be able to discern what is right and wrong, and what He is calling you to do with this life He has given you, and you will clearly see the path that He has laid before you on your journey to Heaven. And you will be equipped to help your spouse, and your children along their path as well.
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