Do a little spiritual spring cleaning

I enjoyed once again being on Morning Air this week, and speaking with Sarah Tafoya. Our topic was what it means to do a lil’ spiritual spring cleaning in the season of Easter. Listen here!

Bottom line: now is a great time to evaluate your spiritual life and decide what’s working and what you need more of. Since all of life goes through different seasons, we may unwittingly find ourselves “stuck” in a certain prayer routine without knowing why we are doing what we are doing, and feeling like we’re going through the motions. Sarah likened prayer to a relationship - it is! - and there is no relationship that would withstand years of stagnation and routine. Sometimes we just need to mix it up a bit and re-inject a little life.

I particularly enjoyed the part where we discussed the sometimes awkwardness of prayer, especially if you are praying spontaneously for the first time (like without a written or memorized thing to say), or just trying something new. As I mention in the conversation, prayer is between you and God; there is no one to impress or get it right for. If we can’t be vulnerable and really ourselves with God, where can we be? As I listen back to the conversation, I get in my mind the image of a wriggly newborn baby: totally dependent on its parents, barely able to see, unable to control its body. That’s like us before God. Don’t flatter yourself, you’re not impressive to God. He sees all our faults and shortcoming - and that’s a vulnerable feeling - and loves us entirely, none the less. So at the very least, we owe God our truthfulness.

May your spiritual spring cleaning be fruitful!

Welcoming little kids in church, and spiritual spring cleaning

I’m a little behind in getting you audio of my last interview on Relevant Radio. Last week, Sarah and I discussed how sometimes people are rude to small children and their families in church, and how these people need to get a grip. Kids should be welcome because they are the future of the church. And by the way, you were little once, too. You can listen here.

This week, on Thursday at about 8:20 am eastern, I am once again joining the Relevant Radio crew to talk about the idea of spiritual spring cleaning: that is, thinking of the spring, and especially Easter time, as a good oportunity to examine your prayer habit especially and decide what’s working, what needs to go, and what needs a refresh. Like if your rosary praying seems stale, what can you do about? Spring clean it! Find out where you can listen here.

Who really belongs in church?

Readers and listeners, I will be on Morning Air bright ‘n’ early tomorrow morning to discuss something I was thinking about during Easter Mass: who really belongs in church, at Mass? The obvious answer is everybody, but as many caregivers will tell you, that can be hard with little kids, or family members with disabilities. Are there people at Mass who can be disruptive because of their age or mental/physical condition? Yep. Is it your job to put up with it? Yep! So I will be talking with Sarah Tafoya, mom-to-mom, about why it is important to not only stop glaring at children, but recall that they have just as much right to be there as you do. And so do their parents, by the way. You can find out how to listen here and tune in around 8:25 am eastern.