In a recent book, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams notes that there is no stasis in the spiritual life (Passions of the Soul, London: Bloomsbury, 2024, p. xviii). You’re either moving forward (growing) or moving backwards (regressing). This is a longstanding theme within the spiritual tradition. It doesn’t mean that the spiritual life can be measured or quantified in the same way that interest rates or populations rise or fall. It simply means that we are either letting God draw us more deeply into who we’re created to be or we’re resisting God’s invitation to do so. We’re never treading water. If we’re seeking to share a part of the divine life, however much we may rest in God, it is not a static rest.
Stasis in the spiritual life breeds complacency. And complacency is borne out of pride. Complacency idolizes inertia and the status quo. Anytime we imagine we have mastered prayer or that we have it all figured out or that we don’t need to stretch ourselves spiritually, then we have fallen into stasis. And this is very dangerous, because then we begin to equate what’s comfortable with what God desires for us or with our “success” or spiritual accomplishments. Our spiritual forebears were correct: you’re either moving forward or backwards in the spiritual life. As Rowan Williams puts it, we’re either growing or shrinking.
Have you noticed how much our Lord speaks of growth in the Gospels? The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that “when it is sown. . . grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade” (Mark 4:32). And “[t]he kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened” (Matthew 13:33). The three synoptic Gospels end with exhortations to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This certainly implies a kind of growth. And do you remember the descriptions of the early Church in the Acts of the Apostles? Acts 2:41 tells us that in one day 3,000 souls were baptized, which clearly suggests that this is a mark of the Holy Spirit’s power and the expansion of the Gospel. And recall how the author of the Letter to the Ephesians connects the use of spiritual gifts with bodily growth (4:16). These are only a few examples from Scripture in which growth is viewed favorably.
Spiritual growth and Gospel growth are, of course, far more than numerical growth and the mechanical, utilitarian growth of modern progress. Spiritual and Gospel growth express vitality, creativity, and the outward thrust of mission. Each of us is created to grow more and more into the likeness of God. The Gospel is meant to be shared, not hoarded. If the old maxim is true—that there’s no such thing as stasis in the spiritual life—then we must always be stretching ourselves in some way spiritually. Again, this is quite different from the modern quest to do more and more, where nothing is ever enough. Nor is it some kind of Pelagianism. Growth in the spiritual life means deepening maturity, where our complacency is challenged by the Holy Spirit’s refining fire.
As we begin a new program year this Sunday, it’s as good a time as ever to commit ourselves anew to spiritual growth. I’d like to suggest a few ways in which we might flex our spiritual muscles. A bodily analogy is helpful because, as with exercise, spiritual growth can, at first, feel uncomfortable or painful. Spiritual inertia is rather like lazing around on the couch instead of going for a run. It takes initiative to respond to God’s graceful invitation to grow. What are some ways in which we can submit to God’s call to grow spiritually?
1) We can put God at the center of our lives by prioritizing worship. First and foremost, this means being present for public worship on a regular basis and attending Sunday Mass. The Lord’s Day re-centers our lives. God becomes the North Star to which we are always orienting ourselves. But this focus on worship can extend beyond Sundays to prioritizing Major Holy Days, attending weekday Masses, praying the Daily Office, and saying our prayers. If it feels like a stretch, then it’s probably doing us some good!
2) We can participate in Christian formation. At Good Shepherd, weekly formation is offered for children ages three and up, as well as for adults. Our new chorister program, which begins rehearsals next week, is a robust means of Christian formation in addition to Sunday classes. Pilgrims in Christ, for adults, is a heavy time commitment but also an excellent way to avoid spiritual complacency. Even if you think you know a lot about the Episcopal/Anglican tradition, there’s always more to know. And though you may have been a Christian your entire life, there’s always room for more formation.
3) We can let Christian community shape our lives. By attending Sunday coffee hour, we challenge ourselves by being in relationship with new people, our beloved friends in Christ. By showing up to church, even when we don’t feel like it, we’re molded by God in the presence of our neighbor. Our neighbor’s concerns become our concerns. Our neighbor’s sorrows are ours, too, and vice versa. (We can’t be very good Christians alone!) I believe that churches are some of the only remaining places on earth where we can agree to disagree in love, where we can find true forgiveness, and where we can be loved with no strings attached. Churches should be places of dialogue and conversation, of charitable speech and loving action.
4) We can put our faith into action. The mission field begins at the door of the church. We’re gathered into the church for worship to be sent into the world in mission and loving service. This might take the form of participation in one of our many ministries, or it might mean volunteering at another local organization. We are invited to live every minute of our lives as an extension of the Mass.
I hope that you, like I, can feel the dynamic energy in the air at Good Shepherd. The rising numbers at services reflect growing levels of spiritual commitment. Here are some examples. There are already seven persons signed up for Pilgrims in Christ. Twelve children are signed up for our new chorister program, including all the children currently in formation who are old enough to join the choir. The ranks of those serving at the altar and helping with the sacristans guild, among many ministries, are increasing in number. Financial giving has been steadily increasing, which I take to be a marker of a growing commitment to the spiritual practice of sacrificial giving. Likewise, our budget is increasing each year, reflecting the growth in ministry at Good Shepherd. In a growing church, there are no such things as static budgets either! These are only a few examples of the vitality of our shared life together.
Above all, the growth that is happening in our midst is the work of the Holy Spirit. It’s a sign of belief in the Gospel. If we believe that the Gospel is one of life and that its truth will set us free, then we should never lag in longing to spread this good news to the ends of the earth. We have to believe the good news and experience its claim on our lives before we can effectively share it. Our life together in Christian community is the primary way in which we allow the Gospel to lay claim to our lives.
This Sunday, let’s celebrate. We will start with Mass, our spiritual center, when the full choir will return at Sung Mass. And then, having feasted on the Body and Blood of our Lord, we’ll feast together at our parish picnic. You won’t want to miss it! Please bring a salad, side dish, or dessert to share. But if you can’t, come anyway! Better yet, bring a friend. Now is a time to celebrate the joy of life in community. Now is a time to give thanks and rejoice in the Gospel truth that will set us free.
Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle