As I was meditating on the rosary recently, I got stuck on the resurrection. It occurred to me that the word can be aptly applied to our spiritual life, not just the idea of being risen from a physical death.
So many parents and grandparents lament over the loss of their loved one’s spiritual life, a life that is in desperate need of resurrection.
To come back after a spiritual life has died is possible, and is a beautiful indicator of the presence of the Holy Spirit, but it can be a long, hard struggle.
That struggle is not because God is hard to find, but it probably has more to do with our human obstinacy, lack of motivation and distraction. Too often, we just don’t see the need for God or believe that he really exists. This last one can be a great challenge.
In the Gospel of Mark (Chapter 9:24) Jesus is faced with a man whose son is possessed with a demon. He says to Jesus, “if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Jesus says to the man, “If you can! Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
To that the man replied with the famous words that have been repeated throughout the centuries: “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
That is a great prayer for us to take up today, for if a spiritual life is to be resurrected, we need to realize that although we may reasonably believe in God and his power to save, there is likely still a part of us deep down that doesn’t.
For, the truth is, if we did, our lives would be radically different. From the things that we focus on, to our practices and behavior, our lives would look much different if there was not one remnant of unbelief in us.
But for most parents and grandparents, they would be happy with much less. They would be happy with even a spark of belief that could be stirred into flame. They model good faith practices; they talk genuinely about their own faith, yet still, nothing seems to happen.
As we recall St. Monica who prayed a lifetime for St. Augustine, we know that the fruits of prayer and practice take time. For a spiritual life to be resurrected takes an openness to the possibility of God, and each person’s individual journey is unique.
Resurrection is definitely possible, even when most days feel like agony in the garden. Just remember, Jesus went through his passion and death before his resurrection.
There is hope for your loved ones as well. Never give up.
Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.blogspot.com
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