Spiritual direction provides a unique opportunity to come to know God’s action in the soul over time. By providing a forum to articulate our experience, spiritual direction teaches us to listen to the Lord and notice his action, which in turns generates a deeper wonder and amazement how the Lord is actively working in one’s…
The human sciences offer meaningful insights into the sacred work on spiritual direction. By virtue of creation and the Incarnation, all things human are meant to be graced and sanctified, finding their telos in Christ. This is precisely why the human sciences can be helpful in spiritual development. In psychology, we discover insights, even if…
The Lord desires an intimate, personal relationship with each of us. He never stops calling us into that deep relationship, and as we learn to attune our hearts to the voice of the Lord, we deepen our union with him. “God never ceases to draw man to himself” (CCC 27) Spiritual direction is a great…
Memory is in the plan of God. It is meant to be able to shape our identity as sons and daughters of God. What is memory? The memory is not just stored data or facts. Memory in the human sense is a lingering experience. Because we exist in time, that is, we are born, we…
The gift of spiritual direction is a gift to the whole people of God, the Church. Christ calls some of his faithful to serve as spiritual directors so as to accompany others in their journey toward union with him. This call is both a gift and a task to be taken up for the sake…
When we think of boundaries, we often think of them as limiting, negative, and even undesirable. Boundaries can be easily associated with prohibitions and constraints. However, when we think of boundaries as indicating a dividing line that defines a space for something to be, it can dramatically alter our notion of what boundaries are and…
God created us to know him, serve him, love him, though we do not physically see him. And yet he is unmistakably there. The paradoxical presence of the Lord in our lives always involves mystery. Though we do not see him, he makes himself present to us in the real, concrete circumstances of our lives….
What does it mean to be fully alive? What does it mean to be a fully functioning person? While they have distinct roles, spiritual direction and therapy are both means of helping a person grow in becoming more of who he or she is called to be. They both provide space to access to the…
“Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” These words from the prophet Samuel upon hearing the call of the Lord give us a sense of what it means to listen to the voice of God. Samuel’s openness, anticipation, and receptivity to the Lord’s word give us an idea of what it looks like to be…
As we journey through life towards union with God, we often encounter trials along the way. Whether it be experiences of desolation, health problems, painful memories, or broken relationships, these trials can result in us closing in ourselves and hardening our hearts or opening our hearts more fully to Christ so that He can be…
