So, my question remains. How do I make it to heaven....or at least to purgatory? The answer is really quite simple: have a spirituality; be spiritual. After all, the saints that we know about and love were all spiritual people. But that word spiritual or spirituality can have many meanings. almost as many meanings as there are people who use the word spiritual or spirituality. I can guarantee you this. Most of the people that I have heard on television or radio who speak about spirituality have absolutely no idea what it means. They have taken that word and fashioned to mean what they would like it to mean.
My prime example of the misuse of the word spirituality comes from the likes of Oprah Winfry. I admit that I do rant about her on occasion, and I really do not mean to. However, in this area, her use of spirituality is a perfect example of what spirituality is not. In the public arena, spirituality is a means of focusing on ourselves so that, in some way, we can go beyond ourselves. Spirituality is simply something that I need to do so that I can be better.
The real definition and reality of spirituality is much different. Spirituality means that we reach out to God and, in reaching out to God, we discover ourselves and our neighbor. This formula was not invented by me, but rather it was taught by Jesus, understood by his disciples, and practiced for centuries by his saints. The current version of spirituality removes God from the equation and mistakenly teaches that we can discover ourselves and others without God. Major big mistake.
Jesus had sent out the apostles to preach. In today’s gospel passage, tired from their work, they are returning to Jesus. Jesus statement to them was: “come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” Jesus recognized that these disciples needed to recharge their batteries by resting, by praying, by being alone with God in the solitude of prayer.
The saints recognized, and the saints here on earth know that they must spend time with God. That time spent with God is called prayer: the person and God involved with each other in quiet time, prayer time. That is the core of true spirituality. Not just me by myself, but me with my God. It is in that relationship that the core of our being is revitalized.
But what about our neighbor? How does that fit in? Well, in our gospel passage, the people kept coming to Jesus and the disciples. They had a hard time to get away and be at prayer. So, too, over the centuries people have discussed about how to enter into spirituality. Is it through prayer or through doing good works? Well, as a matter of fact, spirituality requires both prayer and doing good works.
St. Ignatius of Loyola said it much better than I ever could: “Work as though everything depends on us, but pray as though everything depends on God!” What a marvelous way of expressing that reality. St. Benedict said it even more succinctly in expressing the rule of his group of monks. His phrase was: ora et labora....For those whose Latin is rusty: pray and work. They go hand in hand.
So, the answer to our question: How do I get to heaven is simple: spirituality. What is spirituality: prayer and good works. Prayer and action are both necessary ingredients to live the Christian life. They are like the two rails of a train track, both are necessary to move along the path of life.
One day a person was praying to God to help the needy people of the world. In frustration, the person shouts to God: “Lord, why don’t you do something about the ugly situation in our world?” There was a pause, and finally a voice from heaven said: “I did do something. I made you.”
God did do something. He made all of us. We pray here today to reinforce our spirituality. May this reinforcement bear fruit as we do good in our lives and spread the good news of Jesus Christ.