I was recently asked a question and was kind of stumped on how to answer it and thought you all might be good people to ask. What is One thing you would recommend to a friend who is a Practicing Catholic that would improve their spiritual life. Please be specific and feel free to give examples. Please do not say something general like pray as I already suggested that and was asked well which one and for how long? (I suggested starting with the rosary but it wasn’t greeted with much enthusiasm.) Thanks so much!
For what it's worth, I believe the best thing would be for the friend to ask that question. Ask a favorite saint or their guardian angel.....They may get a most unexpected answer, but it will be the best one for them...
Just talk to God in your head like He’s a friend who can hear you. Not a formal prayer you recite. For many years I prayed vocal prayers or meditated on the rosary, but I think this is important too.
Taking 10 minutes each day to just sit in God's presence and listen in quiet. Or until you can be quiet start by just finding things to thank Him for each day and asking if there is anything God wishes to say to you. I usually don't talk too much about my daily problems during this time as I need to just be away from them and bask in being with Jesus. There are lots of great small booklets on Contemplative or Quiet Prayer to help beginners too.
Going to Mass every day. Get there early and leave it late. Go to Confession once a week . ..or at least once a month. Fast at least on Wednesdays and Fridays. Try to say the Rosary every day. Read Scripture and the Lives of the Saints. Every now and again withdraw from the world and the things of the world and give God a chance to talk to you. Be happy. Give God a chance to make you happy. Try to slow down a little. Keep things simple. Avoid people who are a pain the ass. Pray for them but avoid them.
Fully understand and practise the Divine Mercy devotions. The image, hour, day, chaplet and novena are meant for our times.
I've involved in this very action.. with several friends.. including currently one of my doctors. Get to really know Jesus via His Words and Actions - to the best of your ability! - VIA the best Source of INFO - His GOSPEL (Followed by Acts of The Apostles! Etc..) You should come to believe (as Thomas 21 said) that God can indeed hear you IF you speak to Him as you would your (Heavenly) Father who Loves you! Ask God the Author of Scriptures to be with you while you Prayfully study God's Instructions for you. I prefer translations which place the Script into paragraphical format.
Since you asked for "one thing," I would say tell them to focus on the Sacrament of Penance. Tell them to learn about it in detail. Most "practicing Catholics" don't receive the Sacrament often enough or with the proper dispositions. In a word, they don't take the Sacrament "seriously." 1. The penitent must have "sorrow for sins." Otherwise the Sacrament has no effect. 2. In order to have "sorrow for sins," the penitent must first understand what sins they are committing. 3. In order to understand the sins committed, the penitent must do a thorough, detailed examination of conscience before entering the confessional. 4. The penitent must understand that they can't make excuses for sins and ignore Church teaching on which acts are sinful or hold back embarrassing sins from the Priest. 5. The penitent needs to be clear about the three elements required for sins to be mortal and must confess those in number and kind. 6. The penitent needs to perform the penance assigned and do it with a contrite heart. Since you said the "practicing Catholic" doesn't even pray the Rosary, my guess is that the person is not receiving the fruits of the Sacrament of Penance, which will block many of the other opportunities for grace until they clear that up. I highly recommend giving the person this book: https://www.amazon.com/Examination-...e-Virtues/dp/1502525364/ref=asc_df_1502525364
I think that one of the possible ways is to make a promise to some saint of the Church with the request of a grace so that it generates a bond of intercession and thanksgiving. many people desperate in the tribulation end up resorting to the devotion of some popular saint and while they still do not delve into the various sacramentals of the Church such as the holy rosary this can be an open window for the full experience in the church and deepening of the Catholic faith.
Another most excellent companion to Sacred Scriptures which points to Jesus and Self - is the four books that make up Of the Imitation of Christ, written around 1420 by the German canon Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471), It forms one of the most influential, widely-read, and widely-translated devotional works in the Catholic church, its emphasis being very much on the personal and the private. THE IMITATION OF CHRIST - by Thomas à Kempis THE FIRST BOOK ADMONITIONS PROFITABLE FOR THE SPIRITUAL LIFE CHAPTER I Of the imitation of Christ, and of contempt of the world and all its vanities _He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness_,(1) saith the Lord. These are the words of Christ; and they teach us how far we must imitate His life and character, if we seek true illumination, and deliverance from all blindness of heart. Let it be our most earnest study, therefore, to dwell upon the life of Jesus Christ. 2. His teaching surpasseth all teaching of holy men, and such as have His Spirit find therein the hidden manna.(2) But there are many who, though they frequently hear the Gospel, yet feel but little longing after it, because they have not the mind of Christ. He, therefore, that will fully and with true wisdom understand the words of Christ, let him strive to conform his whole life to that mind of Christ. 3. What doth it profit thee to enter into deep discussion concerning the Holy Trinity, if thou lack humility, and be thus displeasing to the Trinity? For verily it is not deep words that make a man holy and upright; it is a good life which maketh a man dear to God. I had rather feel contrition than be skilful in the definition thereof. If thou knewest the whole Bible, and the sayings of all the philosophers, what should all this profit thee without the love and grace of God? Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, save to love God, and Him only to serve. That is the highest wisdom, to cast the world behind us, and to reach forward to the heavenly kingdom. 4. It is vanity then to seek after, and to trust in, the riches that shall perish. It is vanity, too, to covet honours, and to lift up ourselves on high. It is vanity to follow the desires of the flesh and be led by them, for this shall bring misery at the last. It is vanity to desire a long life, and to have little care for a good life. It is vanity to take thought only for the life which now is, and not to look forward to the things which shall be hereafter. It is vanity to love that which quickly passeth away, and not to hasten where eternal joy abideth. 5. Be ofttimes mindful of the saying,(3) The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. Strive, therefore, to turn away thy heart from the love of the things that are seen, and to set it upon the things that are not seen. For they who follow after their own fleshly lusts, defile the conscience, and destroy the grace of God. (1) John viii. 12. (2) Revelations ii. 17. (3) Ecclesiastes i. 8. CHAPTER II Of thinking humbly of oneself FULL BOOK --- https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1653/pg1653.txt
Commit to attending Adoration one hour a week for one month. Suggest they take along a devotional to pray with and read, but recommend they spend 10 minutes of the 60 in silence before Our Lord. I personally would also recommend praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy because it focuses on Jesus and can be prayed in about 10-12 minutes. If they would prefer to pray the Holy Rosary recommend the Sorrowful Mysteries because the focus is on the Passion.
Go sit with Jesus in the Tabernacle. Tell Him everything on your mind, then just sit in silence and listen. Stay for at least 30 min. Go as often as you can and really commit to it. That's what I'd say. I assume if your friend doesn't want to pray the Rosary, daily Mass is probably a bit too much at this stage...but that would be the very best.
I agree with recommendations if Terry and PF. I would go to Adoration at least monthly but if possible weekly. I personally prefer when their is reflective music or readings. And I would recommend your friend talk to Jesus. Bring everything they have to Him. Be still and listen. He will speak to him/her
Our Lady told St Catherine Laboure that when she spent time with Jesus in adoration he should tell Him her joys and tell Him her sorrows and then listen. If He speaks to her then thank Him. If He doesn't speak thank Him.
