WELCOME BACK
12 STEP CATHOLIC SPIRITUALITY SERIES.
I started this series in September 2018 and will continue with the series this year. If you have not read the first posts, click here to read. This series is based on the 12 Steps of AA and could have easily been called 12 Step Christian Anon programme. However, I prefer to think of it as a 12 Step guide to Catholic spirituality
CHANGE OF HEART
Today we continue on with Step 1 looking at Personal reflections and/or Group Discussion questions. Before considering these you may wish to review the posts on Step 1 so far as this post will complete Step 1. Here are the links to each post on Step 1.
Post 1 :The Rich young Man
Post 2 Human longing
Post 3 Change of Heart
In order to identify the ways in which selfishness disrupts our own spiritual growth, we need to spend some time examining our behaviours and motivations. Many people have found that writing in a journal is a helpful means to reflect their lives. As I mentioned previously, if this is something you have not done before or for some time, the process may feel a little daunting. Some people choose to consider their behaviours and motivations of the last day or two to get started/ others look at the current week/previous week to help them into the process, whilst others take a more global view and consider each decade of their lives. Whatever you choose to do is up to you. This is your personal reflection. The main thing is of course is to START.
These questions therefore are a starting point for you. Some may be more relevant to your life than mine and vice versa. If that question is not relevant move on and/or personalise your own question. Let the process in whatever form it takes work for you.
1.What occasions most often provoke you to anger? What expectations of yours are violated at that time? How do you generally express your anger? How does this affect others? What does catholic teaching say about anger?
2.Do you encourage sexually irresponsible fantasies in your mind? How does this affect your relationships with people of the opposite sex?
3.Do you maintain a proper diet with regard to food and drink? How do your eating and/or drinking habits affect your health? Your relationship with others?
4.How do you treat the people with whom you work on a professional level? Have you ever manipulated others in order to advance yourself and your interests? If so, does it now seem to have been worthwhile in terms of spiritual growth?
5.Is procrastination a problem for you? Have you allowed relationships once important to you to lapse because of laziness? What kinds of tasks necessary for your spiritual growth have you put off lately?
6.What do you most envy in other people? How does this affect your relationships with them? Would you really be better off if you obtained the object of your envy?
7. If you have been guilty of self pity, think back on what occasioned it. Have you worked through these feelings> How does self pity affect your relationships with others?
8 Which opinions of your yours do you find hardest to change? Are you open to constructive criticism from others? Why/Why not? are you open to ongoing conversion, or do you feel as though you have arrived at spiritual growth?
9.Draw a symbol or picture that represents to you what living a life of selfishness does to you. Place this illustration where you will see it regularly to remind you of the kind of of life you re rejecting.
1.What is the difference between selfishness and self love?
2. How does selfishness frustrate the desire for pleasure, esteem, and security? Share some examples from your own life.
3. Share some of your responses to the personal reflection questions above if it is appropriate. Be prudent if you do decide to share these reflections.
4.How do laws help people to live together more peacefully? How adequate are laws in curbing human selfishness?
5.Putting the personal and group discussions reflections questions in perspective, what does the Catholic Church teach about these issues? What does God expect from me and why?
As I said, some of these questions may be a springboard for your reflections whilst others less so or not at all. The main thing is to start considering our lives- our behaviours and attitudes and how it lines up with what God wants from us.
I hope that your reflection time on Step one is fruitful and is a starting point for further spiritual growth.
Post 1 :The Rich young Man
Post 2 Human longing
Post 3 Change of Heart
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS
In order to identify the ways in which selfishness disrupts our own spiritual growth, we need to spend some time examining our behaviours and motivations. Many people have found that writing in a journal is a helpful means to reflect their lives. As I mentioned previously, if this is something you have not done before or for some time, the process may feel a little daunting. Some people choose to consider their behaviours and motivations of the last day or two to get started/ others look at the current week/previous week to help them into the process, whilst others take a more global view and consider each decade of their lives. Whatever you choose to do is up to you. This is your personal reflection. The main thing is of course is to START.
These questions therefore are a starting point for you. Some may be more relevant to your life than mine and vice versa. If that question is not relevant move on and/or personalise your own question. Let the process in whatever form it takes work for you.
1.What occasions most often provoke you to anger? What expectations of yours are violated at that time? How do you generally express your anger? How does this affect others? What does catholic teaching say about anger?
2.Do you encourage sexually irresponsible fantasies in your mind? How does this affect your relationships with people of the opposite sex?
3.Do you maintain a proper diet with regard to food and drink? How do your eating and/or drinking habits affect your health? Your relationship with others?
4.How do you treat the people with whom you work on a professional level? Have you ever manipulated others in order to advance yourself and your interests? If so, does it now seem to have been worthwhile in terms of spiritual growth?
5.Is procrastination a problem for you? Have you allowed relationships once important to you to lapse because of laziness? What kinds of tasks necessary for your spiritual growth have you put off lately?
6.What do you most envy in other people? How does this affect your relationships with them? Would you really be better off if you obtained the object of your envy?
7. If you have been guilty of self pity, think back on what occasioned it. Have you worked through these feelings> How does self pity affect your relationships with others?
8 Which opinions of your yours do you find hardest to change? Are you open to constructive criticism from others? Why/Why not? are you open to ongoing conversion, or do you feel as though you have arrived at spiritual growth?
9.Draw a symbol or picture that represents to you what living a life of selfishness does to you. Place this illustration where you will see it regularly to remind you of the kind of of life you re rejecting.
GROUP DISCUSSION REFLECTIONS.
1.What is the difference between selfishness and self love?
2. How does selfishness frustrate the desire for pleasure, esteem, and security? Share some examples from your own life.
3. Share some of your responses to the personal reflection questions above if it is appropriate. Be prudent if you do decide to share these reflections.
4.How do laws help people to live together more peacefully? How adequate are laws in curbing human selfishness?
5.Putting the personal and group discussions reflections questions in perspective, what does the Catholic Church teach about these issues? What does God expect from me and why?
As I said, some of these questions may be a springboard for your reflections whilst others less so or not at all. The main thing is to start considering our lives- our behaviours and attitudes and how it lines up with what God wants from us.
I hope that your reflection time on Step one is fruitful and is a starting point for further spiritual growth.
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