A Simple Description of Someone Who Is Really Devout

If we endeavor to sanctify our work each day, we must be really devout. Just going through the motions won't do. 

For example, we get up and "plow through" our Morning Routine, a part of which consists of prayer, meditation, spiritual reading, study of Scripture, etc. But our daily routine has become rote. Having finished up after "x" number of minutes, our entire focus returns to this world and our work.

Now, focusing on our work remains a good thing, of course. Our focus enables us to do a good job, to attend to each task appropriately, to fulfill our duties best we can. It's our only way to set the stage for sanctifying our work. But if we can't manage to keep God's Presence in our mind, hearts, and souls throughout the day, how effective will our efforts be? Won't they look just like the good efforts of everyone else, most of whom likely have no idea of what it means to sanctify their work. Won't our real concern and care be simply to advance our career, make more money, etc., etc.?

If our spiritual life serves as the basis of our devotion to God, how about we look at what being devout really means with a simple description of someone who is really devout? These are thoughts about "A Truly Devout Man" by Father John Grou, S.J. (1731-1803)

 “The truly devout man has a horror of evil, but he has a still greater love of good. He thinks more about practicing virtue than about avoiding vice. He is generous, large-hearted, and courageous; and when there is a question of exposing himself to danger for God’s sake, he does not fear wounds. In one word, he loves better to do what is good, even at the risk of falling into some imperfection, than to omit it, through fear of the danger of sinning. … The truly devout man does not burden himself with a great quantity of vocal prayers and practices which do not leave him time to breathe. He always preserves his liberty of spirit; he is neither scrupulous nor uneasy about himself; he goes on with simplicity and confidence.”

So much in so few words!

First, we must love to do good. Sure, being on guard against evil must be part of our Catholic DNA. But our love of doing good should drive our daily efforts at work. This could be simply in the exquisite attention to detail that accompanies all our words and actions. 

And it's not so much that we want to be "successful" in our endeavor. Indeed, success is measured in many ways. And while we certainly want to succeed in worldly terms in order to keep our job, even better to advance in our career, that success ought not to be our primary focus. If we do all for the greater glory of God, why not leave it in His Hands to determine the true success of our endeavors? A focus on what is "good" rather than just what is "effective" or what accomplishes our objective in the shortest amount of time goes a long way to assure this.

As for keeping God "present" in our work, Father brings us the reassurance that we don't need "a great quantity of prayers and practice." Indeed, such would give us no "time to breathe." And this is why developing the habit of brief but sincere "mini-prayers" is so important. These traditionally have been labelled "ejaculations' or "aspirations." Whatever we call them, they're a few words that immediately raise our minds and hearts to Our Lord, to God our Father, to Their Holy Spirit. We can further fashion some little prayers to Our Lady or our Guardian Angel. (St. Jose Maria Escriva had the habit of pausing briefly when he approached a room in consideration of allowing his Guardian Angel to enter before him - just as we might politely do in deference to another person.)

While Father was a Jesuit, the "liberty of spirit he references characterizes Benedictine spirituality. We find examples in St. Benedict's Rule.

Seen through Father Grou's eyes, being dcvout will be within our reach. Let's not allow the opportunity to slip through our fingers.