Keeping Your Spiritual Character on the Right Path
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Keeping Your Spiritual Character on the Right Path

Archbishop Listecki shares how we all become "creatures of habit."

Archbishop Listecki


Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

 

We are creatures of habit. Many years ago in 1977, I was urged by friends of mine, Dick and Taren Coghill, to see a new movie that was becoming quite popular – Star Wars. It was playing at a large movie theatre, holding almost a thousand people. We took our seats in this jammed auditorium. During one scene, Obi-Wan Kenobi turns to the audience and states, “May the Force be with you.” And, over half the theatre responded, “And also with you.” Taren, a Presbyterian, leaned over to me and asked, “What did they say?” I told her not to worry. It was a very Catholic audience. This was the response given to the “Lord be with you” in every Catholic Church.

Certain responses become second nature without even thinking of what we are saying. How often do we think of what we are saying in Church when our prayers become rote! “Lord, Have Mercy. Christ, Have Mercy.” Are we really thinking of the graciousness of God?

This is true also for behavior. A priest friend of mine had a terrible smoking problem, so he sought the assistance of a hypnotist. Through the use of suggestion, he was able to curtail the bad habit. However, when I was at his parish doing some pastoral work, I had the occasion to stay overnight. In the morning, after Mass, I accompanied him to the breakfast table. He immediately went to the bureau and placed an ashtray at his breakfast place. There was no need for this ashtray – he had stopped smoking weeks ago. When I asked him why he put the ashtray at his place, he told me, “Gee, I did not even realize that I was doing it.”

Many years ago, attendance at Sunday Mass was questioned because people were fulfilling an obligation, but they were not really present. They did not desire to be there for the Lord, but merely because of habit. The routine of going to Mass is the repetition of a good action, which builds the spiritual character of the person. Obligation may not be the best reason, but it certainly is not the worst, and it’s better to be present to the Lord than not.

If you have a new vehicle, you know that they are now using fobs instead of keys. But, I still reach to the steering column in order to put a key into the ignition. Most every priest can tell you of a common incident in a hospital. When the priest was anointing a person who was seemingly unconscious, suddenly, as he offered the blessing, the person’s hand made the sign of the cross.

Of course, our psychology courses (where we studied Pavlov and Skinner) in college explained about conditioning, stimulus, and behavioral responses and its effects. Some habits are beneficial. Virtue, for instance, is the constant exercise of the good, which becomes second nature. It is hard to imagine a person who is virtuous committing a crime, because it would be so foreign to one’s nature. It’s like the children’s Christmas song that says, “Be good for goodness sake.” Others habits can become disruptive of our creativity. We become comfortable with the way things are.  “Why do you do this?” “Because we’ve always done it this way.” Many have heard that comment every time someone wants to try something different, or challenge the existing status quo. Of course, there are always the bad habits that are destructive of our spiritual life through sin and addiction.

In our spiritual lives, we need to develop good habits in prayers and good works. They become second nature to us, and help build our spiritual character. They prevent us from slipping into sin and vice. They also maintain an environment which keeps us open to the movement of the spirit. When we are challenged to do something different, we can be open to “change” because the strength of our spiritual character keeps us on the right path. Every day and in every way, we are called to develop a habit to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
 

Note: This blog originally appeared as the May 16, 2017 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.

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