Part 6 - Attached to the Vine: Our Source and Summit

"I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. —Romans 12:1-2

After the foundation of humanity is laid, the walls of a spiritual life begin to be built. A proper understanding of self leads to a proper understanding of relation to Christ. Spiritual formation focuses on instilling the virtues of prayer and devotion needed for a thriving priesthood. The list of focus areas for a seminarian's spiritual life include: Eucharist, Confession, Liturgy of the Hours, spiritual direction, Scripture, retreats, meditation, reading the Church Fathers, personal devotions, asceticism, simplicity of life, solitude, obedience, celibacy, and other things. (PPF 229)

This sounds like cramming too much in a short time-frame, but these aspects are all covered in the daily life of seminary in a balanced and structured way. The life of the seminary is structured around the communal prayer life. Time of prayer in a communal setting allows for accountability between the men and a sense of duty to be present with the others. Over time, the habits change from the feeling of obligation to a desire for these times of prayer. The greatest and most important form of communal prayer is the Liturgy of the Hours. It is meant to be prayed in a communal setting and is truly the prayer of the entire Church, for every priest, monk, sister, bishop, cardinal, patriarch, and pope prays a form of the Liturgy of the Hours every day. This unified prayer is the living breath of the Church that keeps the it alive and active here on Earth.

Spiritual direction is necessary to ensure that seminarians are discerning their vocations properly, have specific goals in progressing in the spiritual life, are not distracted by comparing themselves to others, and are focused on their relationship with Christ above all things. While different devotions are good, too many of them will become a distraction from the contemplative prayer priests are called to have. Spending a holy hour only praying different devotions takes time away from being present to Jesus in the Eucharist and being prepared to listen to Him. A common rule is to pick only a couple and pray them well. Spiritual direction also serves to help a seminarian become more aware of his own spiritual gifts and charisms to better serve his community and his priesthood. If these charisms are not used, they will instead be taken away.

The Eucharist is our lifeline. This heavenly food is the source of our spiritual nourishment and keeps us attached to Christ. Without this spring of living water, our spiritual lives dry out, and prayer becomes nothing. We become a dead branch that will be cut from the vine. This is the importance of daily Mass and daily adoration. Without the constant exposure to Christ's presence in the Eucharist, any attempt to grow spiritually will be in vain. We cannot do anything on our own, but only through Christ can we progress.

Similarly, praying with Scripture is central to spiritual growth. The body and soul receive Christ through the Eucharist, and the mind receives Christ through the reading of Scripture, for both are truly the Word of God. St. Jerome famously said, "Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." The positive version of this quote would then be: knowledge of Scripture is knowledge of Christ. If we wish to love Christ more, then we need a better knowledge of Scripture, for we cannot truly love what we do not truly know. Reading commentaries or sermons from the Church Fathers, praying by the method of Lectio Divina, contemplating a Scripture passage, or even praying the rosary with Scripture are all valuable methods to build up a stronger spiritual life. The renewal of the mind by prayerful study of Scripture also renews the heart and soul for a more intimate life with Christ.