While this may sound like a strange title for writing on your spiritual journey, I’ve learned throughout my business and personal life and spiritual journey that the more I can keep things simple, the better it is.
I’ve always lived by the thought of leaning to the simplistic side of simple in all things that I do.
Here’s how I live out my daily and ongoing spiritual journey. I’m not suggesting that this is what you should do, but it’s simple and it seems to work well.
Always pray before you get out of bed. When you’re lying there and waking up, spend some time in prayer. For me personally, I use it for really personal prayers, for family, and things like that. If you doze off, when you wake back up, pick up where you left off. I doze off from time to time – you may be likely to as well.
Have a place where you have your spiritual time. We have a place in our den where I like to spend time. Get a cup of coffee, and I sit down and start by reading some prayers out of “The Essential Prayers for Catholic Men.” I have some favorite ones in there that I’ll read.
Do the daily readings every day. I do the daily readings out of a monthly publication called “Living with Christ” from Bayard Faith Resources. It’s great. Always ask before you start the readings, “God, what are you trying to say to me today?” Sometimes you’ll be amazed at what he has to say to you, and other times you’ll find that the readings didn’t have anything to say to you really.
The thing I like about “Living with Christ” is at the front of it there is a prayer every day from a Church Father or a Saint – people who are much wiser than I am. Do the daily readings every day. It takes you five to seven minutes to do it and you’ll find it very impactful.
Say a rosary daily. You don’t have to sit there and hold a rosary in your hand and say the rosary out loud. That’s one way of doing it. You can do it on the way to work; you can do it when you’re working out. There’s a lot of different ways of saying the rosary. I started saying the rosary daily several years back for Lent and oddly enough at the end of Lent, I couldn’t quit doing it. I’ve been doing it ever since.
Go to Mass one more time a week. If you’re like most men, you’re going to Mass once a week. Think about this for a second – if you go to Mass one more time a week, that is a 100% improvement. Think about what that will do for your spiritual life. For me, I started going one more time a week, and then before I knew it, I was going two more times, then three more times, and on and on. I think you’ll find the Holy Spirit will lead you where He wants you to go, but you have to be available for Him.
Go to Adoration. Spend an hour; maybe just start with two times a month. The Holy Spirit may prompt you and before you know it, you may be doing it every week. I have some friends who do it daily. I’m not there yet though. Spend some time with the Lord.
End every night in prayer. It’s always good to do a brief examination of the conscience (which is in the “The Essential Prayers for Catholic Men” put out by HeroicMen).
If you’re married, do a Novena every day with your wife. Novena is a prayer that my wife and I have found very powerful. If we happen to miss a day, which we do sometimes, we do two the next day.
Read spiritual books. The writings of the early Church Fathers are great. There are so many great writings out there. Two of my favorites are “Introductions About Life,” by Saint Francis De Seo; and “Imitation of Christ,” by Thomas Kempis.
Go to confession a minimum of once a month. My spiritual director, a really great priest, gave me an example of why confession is so powerful. He asked me, “Robert, how often do you clean your house?” I responded “Quite often.” He said, “Well, what happens if you don’t?” I said, “It’s gets dirtier and dirtier.” He responded with, “That’s why you go to confession – to keep your soul clean. If you don’t, it gets dirtier and dirtier.” That’s an analogy I’ve found helpful. How often do you want to sweep your soul out?
These are some things that I do. One thing I want to caution you about, men, as you go about these things: if you miss praying at night or miss a week that you didn’t go to Mass twice, don’t beat yourself up. None of us are perfect and God knows your intentions.
The more we do these things and the more than are part of our lives and our routines, the closer we will grow to God.
The way I would say it is this is being intentional about your relationship with Christ. Once again, none of these things are complicated.
Lean to the simplistic side of simple. God bless you, men.
Robert Tunmire
Co-Founder of Heroic Men, Texas
Nice article. A priest told our parish to get out of bed to pray. I may make the sign of the cross in bed but if there is a reason why people fall asleep praying it’s because they are in a sleeping position. Getting into a prayerful position (on your knees) is how to lead the day and end it.