Prioritise

“The Mass is about God and His glory, not our own self-satisfaction.” (R. Jared Staudt, in “The Forty Parables of Jesus” at page 154).

Virgin Mary (Icon)

There is an old cliché that says, “the devil finds work for idle minds”.

Saint Robert Bellarmine said something similar when he said, “Flee idleness... for no one is more exposed to such temptations than he who has nothing to do.”

And I have been reflecting on that idea of idleness leading to sinfulness, because I have been reflecting on the busyness of life.  Most people living in a modern world are fairly busy.  We live in families where very often both parents work, children have jobs from an early age, and we study to improve ourselves professionally on top of everything else.  Then we have our responsibilities in the home, among our friends and with our families.  I spend my days working and my afternoons and nights caring for my home and my children and their welfare.  Then, in my spare time, I connect with friends, and then – if there is still time – I make time to do things that I enjoy doing – like going to the hairdresser or doing some recreational shopping.

It seems to me that there are so many conflicting priorities.  And it is increasingly important to identify the most important priorities…

“As the most important event of the week and of our lives, we ought to prioritise Sunday Mass above everything. First, it is important to remember that we attend Mass primarily to honour God and to give Him glory. Mass should be God-centred rather than self-centred. The Mass is not about us, to make us feel good or provide entertainment. We could approach Mass as a consumer, seeking only what serves one’s own sensibilities and comfort rather than moving out of oneself in receptivity and obedience to God. The Mass is about God and His glory, not our own self-satisfaction.” (R. Jared Staudt, in “The Forty Parables of Jesus” at page 154).

And I have been thinking about that.  You see many of the great Saints were contemplatives.  Think of Saint Therese of Lisieux or Saint Faustina of the Divine Mercy.  Neither of these women did very much in terms of secular work.  They did little to run hospitals or educate children or anything else.  Their work tended to revolve around the running of their own convents to make them self-sufficient.  And they were terribly sick – both of them.  This meant that they spent much of their time resting between bouts of terrible tuberculosis.

And I have been thinking about that today because what they did was not idleness.  It was not a life of nothing and dissipation.  It was a life spent actively seeking to engage with God.  It was a life spent contemplating the Divine and trying to become closer to the Divine through every menial experience of their lives.

And what that really means is that it is all about priorities.  If I could only learn to prioritise God above all else, I would be able to benefit from the Graces of the Saints, who spent their Earthly lives in contemplation of the centre of their Eternal life.  And this meant that their Earthly lives were a foretaste of Heaven…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.