The Greatest Tool We Have to Get Through What's Going On and What's Likely to Come - 2

Last time we explained why the Interior Life will be our greatest tool to deal with what's going on, in addition to what's likely to come, in our C-Virus world. Today, we're going to share a suggestion mentioned in one of the greatest works on the Interior Life, The Soul of the Apostolate, by Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard. I hope you'll see how that suggestion will not only enhance our Interior Life, but has the potential to transform our work life as well. If you haven't read this great work, consider it. 

We can build our Interior Life many ways. My own method is still a work in process, as I suppose it will be for the rest of my life. Over time, I've read various reliable and helpful sources to assist me in that process. I started reading The Soul of the Apostolate only recently and am about a third of the way through. I can't recommend it more highly.

But if you decide to read it, know that it's not going to be light reading. This is a profound work. It's serious. You have to read it slowly and seriously. 

When it was published, it quickly became widely read by both religious and lay people. Pope St. Pius X kept a copy by his bedside. (Pretty solid recommendation, eh?) It sold hundreds of thousands of copies. But enough with the build-up. Let's go to the suggestion that very well could change the way you manage both your spiritual and your work life.

First, we set the stage for this suggestion by understanding that what the author calls "the active life" can - mostly does - prevent the growth of a strong Interior Life. It does this because, left unharnessed, it typically edges into and eventually takes over the time we spend on our Interior Life. We won't get into how and why that happens. Know this, though: Dom Chautard masterfully diagnoses this and explains it. When you read his analysis, you'll be convinced that it's an issue to be addressed if you're serious about your Interior Life.

To be clear, there's no suggestion we curtail our activity to the detriment of our work life. We can't sit around and pray and meditate all day. But we can adjust how we work to keep our Interior Life strong, to allow us to make it even stronger.

Here's the suggestion - and it comes not from Dom Chautard, but from a source he quotes:

1. I will always take more time than is necessary to do everything. This is the way to avoid being in a hurry and getting excited.

2. Since I will invariably have more things to do than time in which to do them, and this prospect preoccupies me and gets me all worked up, I will cease to think about all I have to do, and only consider the time I have at my disposal. I will make use of that time, without losing a moment of it, beginning with the most important duties; and as regards those that may or may not get done, I shall not worry about them.

It's important to understand the full context of this suggestion. The first person I shared this with - who had not read The Soul of the Apostolate - kind of winced. It seemed the idea of setting aside excess time was an invitation to "taking your time," maybe even laziness. I realized I hadn't provided any background. They didn't see - or at least consider - that what we might call an "overly-active" life was a threat to their Interior Life. So I guess the reaction makes sense.

You should read the book to really understand this, but maybe we can talk about it a little here. I'll just use my own work experience, especially when I started my little business over a decade ago, as an example.

Starting a business ain't easy - especially when you're a sole proprietor with no employees. In my case, add to this the fact that, while I had professional experience in the field I chose, I had little, if any, experience running a business. I had worked with business owners and watched them in action. So it's not like I didn't know what to expect. But it's a lot different when your doing rather than just observing.

I won't drag your through the weeds of all the fits and starts, ups and downs. Just know it was a struggle from day one. But I kept at it. And the way I did was to mostly work constantly. Yeah, pretty much 24/7.

Almost to my surprise, however,  I did keep up my morning routine of prayer, study, brief meditation, etc. despite the pressing nature of getting the business moving. (No pat on the back here - just the facts.)

But there was a catch. Those of us who have made building our Interior Life a priority have likely learned that just "putting in time" doesn't really do the trick. There's a richness and depth to the Interior Life that requires intention, time, concentration. We need to have a sincere intention of deepening our relationship with God. To do that, you need to spend - for want of a better term "quality time." If you plow through your morning routine of prayer, study, meditation, spiritual reading while you've one eye on the morning news, that's not quality time.

Okay, so let's say we're on board with carving out time. Let's say we've even managed to be recollected during the day at work (always a challenge for me). We're still missing the key ingredient: Love. 

The Interior Life won't just help us grow closer to God. It's going to increase our love of God. For that to happen, we need the intention of loving God.

As I was learning all this, I eventually had to ask: How much do I love God? How much do I want to love God? If I believe that I love God, on what do I base that belief?

For me, these were not easy questions. The answers, as they slowly crystallized, were, at times, embarrassing, even somewhat painful. 

Next time we'll consider each question and the possible answers we might have to them. They lie at the center of our Interior Life - if we want that life to grow and strengthen. We'll also break down those two "rules" we mentioned. You may find, as did I, that they will change how you approach and conduct your work. We'll see not only how our Interior Life will strengthen, but that our work habits may change in some interesting and beneficial ways.