Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.” Later in this chapter, Jesus goes on to explain that the “thorns” of worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word, and it bears no fruit. Maybe worldly anxiety and riches are not your struggles, but what is?
The truth is that many people do not advance further in the spiritual life because they do not address the obstacles that hinder their relationship with God. In traditional spiritual language, these “obstacles” are referred to as “attachments.” St. Teresa of Calcutta wrote, “To resolve to be a saint means I despoil myself of all that is not God.” What she is saying is that we need to examine and remove what impedes our progress to God. We have to rely on grace to enlighten our minds and seek the strength that comes from God to uproot our attachments.
If attachments are the problem, then the solution is detachment. What is detachment? The simple, crystal-clear answer is: not paying attention to what doesn’t bring us closer to God. If you want a challenging spiritual exercise, write down on paper those things that are not leading you to God. It isn’t necessarily about sins, but it’s examining patterns of living, ways of life, and attitudes that hinder your growth.
Reflection by Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections