The basis for a life lived completely under the influence of the Lord

Book 2, Chapter 2

-Part 1-

It is reassuring when a spiritual director returns often to the basics. The subject of spirituality can be perilously nebulous and, in the wrong hands, a sincere Christian wanderer could be vulnerable to an unending stream of unfolding advice and direction that proves to be impossible to follow, or even to comprehend.

There is a danger, not only among the young in the faith, to be attracted to mystery or drama, with the result that a genuine faith and a genuine spirit is splayed by other imposing topics of interest. In this condition, one’s spirituality is not much more than a hobby.

In my experience, new believers want to first study the book of Revelation, and they want the 411 on angels and/or demons. The parts of the faith that would make good movies or video games appeal to young eyes.

Good spiritual guides working within the boundaries of solid Christian doctrine will redirect the young imagination to the basics of the faith.

In the Gospels Jesus continually brings up the basics when teaching His disciples. He speaks of prayer: “When you pray, say this, ‘Our Father …’” He speaks of commitment: “Deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Me.” He restates principles: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” He speaks of Himself as the foundation upon which resilient faith and life are built: “The other man built his house on a rock.” And the great hymn powerfully affirms the same truth: “The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord.”

It is little wonder, then, that good spiritual shepherds echo the concerns and priorities of The Good Shepherd.

At the outset of this new chapter, Father Caussade reinforces his idea of a good foundation, and repeats again his basic premise that self-abandonment unto God is at the heart of a life lived completely under the influence of the Lord.

“The great and solid foundation of the spiritual life is to give oneself to God.” ~Caussade (Page 55.)

          He further presses us in this same paragraph to consider ourselves as “a thing sold,” bringing to mind Paul’s stated and restated declaration to the Corinthians that they “were bought at a price” (First Corinthians 6:20, and 7:23). “You are not your own property,” says the Apostle.

So Caussade’s guidance here is not something new or something that he brought to the faith from outside or from his own imagination. Self-abandonment is the continuation of the call of the Gospel for Christians to lay down their lives, as though dead to the world and to sin, in order to allow God to take them up again for His pleasure, His purposes, His glory.

Faith is nothing if not a change of ownership.

The Apostle Peter says it this way: “for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (First Peter 2:10)

As Christ died on the cross and arose again to accomplish our salvation, so do we die in a sense when we deny ourselves to take up our cross and follow Him, and we rise to newness of life as we are infused with the Spirit of God – brought to life “by love, in love and for love,” as was articulated by William of St. Thierry. (The Nature and Dignity of Love)

This is clearly stated by Paul: “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

Prone to stray as we are, this newness of life has to be often refreshed through confession, nourished through the Church and deepened through prayer. During any journey we tire and weaken. A daily fresh start is needed to keep us moving toward our destination.